Harriett Potter: Light and Shadow
by Quontir
Summary: Harriett Potter was born to James and Lilly. She survived thanks to her father's love, but something else resides within her. It is a dark and violent shadow that will do anything to keep her safe and fulfill its ambitions for her.     Warning: DARK
1. Book I: Chapters 1 through 6

Harriett Potter: Light and Shadow

Book I

Harriett Potter was born to James and Lilly. She survived thanks to her father's love, but something else resides within her. It is a dark and violent shadow that will do anything to keep her safe and fulfill its ambitions for her.

Disclaimer: This belongs to J.K. Rowling and so many other people it's not funny. None of the characters or world situations are mine.

WARNING: This story contains dark and disturbing elements including rape and bloody violence. It also includes at least one character fantasizing about pedophilia. The author does not condone any of these violent acts and asks that anyone who is squeamish about any of these topics to please depart immediately. Read at your OWN RISK you have been warned.

Warning II: This Story also contains lighthearted elements and fuzzy feelings. If those disturb you feel free to move on to ZOMG Harry Potter Evil Bastard I'm sure there must be one somewhere…

-Prologue-

"Please…" she begged him standing at the bottom of the stairwell blood in her eyes and her wand hand sheared off. He looked at the revolting woman as she tugged at his robe hem, "Please not my daughter, not my husband. Please let them live…"

He kicks her in the face and raises his wand using her blood as a catalyst for the spell he whispers, "Imperio" and allows his magic to draw the runes in her blood. He whispers the spell again and her blood is changed into a tattoo on her side. She isn't pleading anymore, no her face is turned into that the blank slate of a worshipful follower.

He smiles darkly at her and says, "Go my little bitch, go to Snape and follow his every order. You are my payment to him for my victory tonight."

He hands her a small button from her gown and doesn't even need to whisper the words in order to create a portkey from a button on her blouse. He hands it to her and with a snap of air she is gone and he is walking up the stairs.

The delay down stairs means James Potter is ready for him, but the man's defenses are meaningless to one of such skill as he. Spells fly and blast apart the upper level of the house, but by the time the battle is over James is bleeding next to his daughter's crib. The man's blue eyes look at him with anger and then look to the child with love. "I won't let you hurt her…I…."

Those are his last words and then a green light slams into him and he falls dead. Triumphant the wizard stands over the child's crib. He raises his wand and speaks two words, "Avada Kedavra"

The pain seers into his flesh and he tries to escape. His soul is tearing one part escapes fleeing in pain and agony while the other is drawn into the girl searing into her forehead and shaping itself into a single scar. From there all he can do is wait and watch.

Soon enough an elderly man comes and he knows it is Dumbledore, the fool, the obstacle he desperately wants to wring his neck, but nothing happens. The body is picked up and he looks at him with a sad face, "Oh poor Harriett we shall have to bring you somewhere safe."

A bottle is placed on the body's lips and she gladly drinks while he screams in defiance. Then she is handed to Rubeus Hagrid and taken on a motorcycle. The trip is agony in and of itself and then the body is placed on a doorstep and time passes. A woman looks out the door and stares down at the little baby in the crib, "Oh shit, a little freak. I won't have it I just won't…."

But, she is wrong about that. She reads a letter and finally brings the child into the house. He watches her with searing hatred. This muggle dares to place hands on him….she dares….he screams mentally, but it does naught but make the girl cry and then she is fed again.

Fed and changed, then fed and changed again. Her cries often went unheard and unlamented in the night and during the days. Food and clean clothes are rationed for her. Days and weeks go by and then months of the same hell while he watches from his viewpoint watches and plans.

Over time he cannot help himself and he begins to grow somewhat fond of the girl. By the time she is five she is cunning and tricky, she walks and talks in a silent self defense. She finds food in the cracks and crevices and leavings of her so called family. When she is alone or even doing chores she manufactures happiness and fun from the depths of boredom. Her mind is an engine of thought exploring, discovering and learning everything it can.

After another two years have come and gone he has become enthralled by her. While he watched she became a servant in the household. She is made to clean and soon after to cook. She is in the eyes of the people she lives with, a house elf, and he screams at the indignity of it all. On the other hand she takes it all and finds her own happiness, finds solace in experimenting and discovering the world. She even finds enjoyment in making meals in different ways and experimentation. Unlike him she has survived the tormentors by ignoring them, letting it slide away from her. Unlike what he did she has simply forgiven them for being bigoted idiots and moved on.

Another passes and he continues to watch her. With her silence and obedience she has somehow triumphed against the muggles. By refusing to allow them to get to her she has won in a way that he could have never conceived. Then one day while experimenting in her cupboard she finds her magic. It calls to her as a brilliant core of light within and she wields it to make her chores easier. She uses the pure white and he screams in pain and yet she draws him. He stays with her despite the pain of he cannot help himself because he has fallen in love.

He never admits that it is love insisting to himself that it is ambition. It is simply a vast ambition for the girl who is his host. Maybe it is even an ambition for the girl he would call daughter, but he does not ever admit that it could be love for her. Even so he vows to somehow protect her, to save her from this hell and be her shield. That vow is put to its highest test when she is nine. She has once again made the breakfast with her magic, but this time her uncle has seen. This time one of her family has seen her perform magic and he is very angry. The large fat man slams a fist into her side and she falls against a chair, then her shirt rips. Fat sausage hands are on her body they rip and tear at her clothes and she screams, she begs and pleads. For a single moment it is a brief reminder of another woman begging and then there is pain so much pain and he refuses to allow it.

With pure rage hate and malice he rips out of his containment and takes control. He rakes her nails along the fat chest drawing arcane sigils of the blackest arts ever known to wizard kind. The fat pig barely notices in his rutting, but that matters not. The sigils are drawn and he calls upon his power and thus the magic lights the sigils up and then the fat man takes notice.

He stands up and stares at the sigils, "What have you done you freakish bitch!"

He looks at the fat as he stands his hair and clothes waving in a tempest of arcane power. He holds out her hand out in a twisted claw. Words of insane power flow from her mouth in an unintelligible mass and then she says simply, "You will never do this again."

The man looks at her as if ready to pounce, but it is too late for him. His chest is slowly ripping itself from him and dropping to the floor in little pink gibbets of flesh. He screams in pain and agony as each vessel slowly pulls off and disappears. He claws at it desperate to put himself back together, but he fails. The magic takes him utterly and completely. In her body he steps forward and traces a few more arcane sigils with her fingers, and then he uses a knife to prick her finger and drops three bits of her blood on the ruins of what was once Vernon Dursley.

With that he takes her body to the shower and cleans her up. Once she is dressed he walks her to the cupboard under the stairs and he lets her go. She wakes there without any memory of what was done to her or what she has done. Even so her aunt comes home and screams, and then there are police and questions she cannot answer.

A strange old man comes; he has a beard and asks her questions too. He asks questions about magic and dark arts, but she cannot answer him. All she knows is Vernon attacked and then she woke in the cupboard. When the old man stands to leave her aunt begs the man to take her away, but he does not. He says that it is the best protection for Harriett to "Live with family". The green eyed girl doesn't correct the man or even attempt to tell him that Petunia and Dudley are not her family. He scares her too much for some reason and then he is gone.

From that day on her aunt and her cousin treat her with severe trepidation. Oh, they still make her do the chores, but neither of them ever lifts a finger to her and even when they do order her around they do so with a polite voice.

-Chapter 1-

She is hidden in a small room, but she is his. Her softness and her curves are always there and always available to him at any time day or night. She debases herself for him, she says anything he wants and fulfills his every need. He wishes there could be more that she could be at his side ruling over the world with his master, but that dammed Potter had to mess it up. Somehow the infant child had killed his master and left him behind with the others, but oh he was smart.

He had gone to Dumbledore before the attack and lied. Told him that he feared the dark lord would kill Lilly and so he was no longer his servant. He begged for forgiveness and joined the 'so called' forces of light. The old fool had bought into the lie and he was a perfect double agent for Voldemort or would have been if his master hadn't perished. Still, lie after lie had saved him from Azkaban and now he was teaching miserable brats at Hogwarts instead of in some palace making potions for his master and their cause.

She pulled at his pants and her mouth kissed down his length as she said, "Please don't be sad. Let me take your mind off things."

Long ago he had ordered her to distract him after a certain number of minutes in such contemplations, but it felt like spontaneity and her lips were so very good. He sighed happily as she worked on him and smiled. He had everything he wanted and there were even rumors that the Dark Lord would return some day. He would be there for that and she would be with him, still bound to his command forever and forever. Who cared if when you looked into her eyes you saw a silent agony and hatred? Who cared, certainly not him. He had his Lilly and he would never give her up.

At the same time in Hogwarts Dumbledore looked at the first letter that would go out. Harriett Potter would be invited to attend Hogwarts and he was sure that it was all about to begin. His plans were in place, plots and procedures for the greater good. Yes, those were in place and now all he had to do would be to send the invitation and decide who would introduce young Harriett to the Wizarding world. He considered Hagrid first, but remembering that awful moment with Vernon's death by accidental magic perhaps a large man might be inappropriate. He nodded to himself and decided that Professor McGonagall would be best.

He sent the letter and summoned her to his office. Soon enough the elderly lady was there, "Ah professor I have a task that I hope I can entrust to you."

"Of course, what is it?"

"I would very much appreciate it if you were to guide young Harriett in her first foray to the Wizarding world. Perhaps bring her by her vault, purchase robes and that sort of thing?"

The elder lady nodded and said, "Of course sir. When do you think I should arrive?"

He smiled at her and his eyes twinkled, "Oh not long I should think not long at all."

-Chapter 2-

When the owl arrived with a letter addressed to her she smiled lightly and said, "Why thank you."

She took the note and cracked open the seal her radiance and purity were pure pain for him, but he watched anyway as she performed the simple task. He watched her as she read to herself and nodded once, then looked to her own shadow and said, "Well shadow I guess we should say yes. After all it is a school of magic and we are obviously magical."

She was talking to him of course, but he wouldn't answer. Couldn't answer and just buried himself deeper so that her purity would not be smirched by his darkness. She looked off, then skipped away to find a pen. Soon after she had the device in hand and was writing on the back of the letter.

Once she was done she walked out the door and whistled. A little blue jay popped out of a tree and flittered to her. She smiled at the creature, shrunk her letter with a wave of her finger and said, "Could you deliver this to Mr. Dumbledore?"

He didn't even rage at the name caught up as he was in her enchantment and love of so many things. The blue colored bird took the letter and flitted off and although it was eaten by an Owl at the school the letter was delivered nonetheless.

A few days later she walked to the door and smiled at an elderly lady who introduced herself saying, "Ah hello deer I am Deputy Headmistress at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Minerva McGonagall. I have been tasked with bringing you to Diagon Alley in order to get your things for school today."

He sneered at the old lady wanting to rip her and slice. Desperate to curse her, but his host just smiled her brilliant smile and said, "That will be excellent. I am Harriett Potter, most people just call me Harry, and I believe I would enjoy the expedition."

That calmed him some and he settled back down to watch her and see her keen mind at work. Minerva in the meantime had a brief moment of fear as the girl's shadow shivered slightly and looked menacing for a brief moment and then it was gone. He green eyes stared at her and her lovely brown hair blew in a gentle breeze. She was the picture of a young innocent eleven year old witch. "So can you tell me about my parents?"

Minerva looked at her and smiled saying, "James Potter was an honorable man excellent at Quiddich and Transfiguration. Lilly was a sweet girl she excelled in all subjects especially charms and potions. They were heroes to many people defying the Dark lord three times before he finally…"

Minerva trailed off, but Harry's smile hadn't gone away from her face. The girl looked up at her and said, "Wow, they were great people. I wish I could have met them."

Minerva nodded and said, "I wish the same, but I hope your aunt and cousin have treated you well."

Harry shrugged and said nothing to that instead opting to question, "So, what happened to the dark lord after he killed my parents?"

The question surprised Minerva, but it was obvious curiosity and perhaps a bit of longing in the girl's voice. The elder witch knew that she would want to know if it had been her and said, "He died Harry, no one knows exactly how, but he died at your crib and gave you that scar."

She reached up and touched the lightning bolt shaped scar and he fled far back so as to avoid notice. She rubbed it gently and he could almost feel her touch in a way he craved it and yet he knew he was not worthy. She was pure and innocent and in a way his daughter, he so desperately wanted to apologize and yet contact might darken her. So, he fled as far as he could to avoid the touch and still kept watch over her.

It took near thirty minutes before McGonagall was finished answering questions and finally she said, "Harry we must be on our way. You will learn much more in school I promise."

Harry nodded, McGonagall took the young girl's hand, then side along apparated directly to Diagon Alley. There they started their expedition at Gringott's bank. The young witch seemed to enjoy the cart ride and accepted McGonagall's suggestion as to the amount of money they would need. After that they went to find her a robe and met up with Lucious and Draco Malfoy.

The young blonde boy saw Harriett enter said, "Oh you must be Harriett Potter, pleased to meet you. I am Draco Malfoy."

His hand was extended and so she took it and shook. "Hello there."

He felt him too and only saw a sniveling coward, then her eyes moved up and she was greeting the father. Lucious Malfoy had been one of his, but there was none of the sycophantic need to please in the man's eyes as he looked at Harriett. No, it was clearly a wish to do her harm and he would have none of that. Anger seethed in him and he missed the conversation end. She was out in the alley and munching on a sweet confection. Her happiness and wonder flooded him with pain and even so he wanted more.

Soon she stepped into Ollivander's shop smiling happily. The man sized her up and tested a number of wands until he handed her a different wand. It was eleven inches long made of holly with a Phoenix feather core. She held it in her hand and it sang with her magic a perfect match and he shivered slightly. Ollivander spoke saying, "Interesting that this wand would choose you when its brother chose someone else. He did great, but terrible things with his wand Harriett and yours has a similar ability for greatness."

She smiled at him and went to her place, the same place she went working dull chores, the same place her pure power came from and said, "Thank you Mister Ollivander. I do not know about greatness, but I will use this wand only for good sir. I wouldn't wish terrible things on anyone."

She placed her money down and walked away. He watched her with awe and respect for her power and commitment. That respect went up again while she was in the bookstore collecting her necessary books for the year. There she managed to add numerous volumes of additional spell lore and learning to her pile with a sweet smile and simple requests. Her ability to be devious, tricky, and yet pure of motive and intent once again bowled him over.

By the time the day was done she had numerous books, her wand, a few trinkets and candies, as well. The only thing that might have been strange was the fact that she had not bought a pet of any sort. Although that could have been explained when she looked at her shadow and said, "Hmm Shadow I think one pet is enough don't you?"

It galled him for a moment that she thought of him as a pet and yet he suffered it and once again tried to back away from her notice. She shrugged to herself and finished shopping. When she was done and at her house she said her goodbyes to the Deputy Headmistress at her door and then brought her things to her room. After that she walked downstairs and without a word began making dinner for her Aunt and Cousin.

-Chapter 3-

It had been a relatively simple matter for her to exchange a single knut for English Pounds and she arrived at the train station via Taxi. At first the driver had balked, but her simple explanation of her need to go to school for the year and the fact that her parents were dead gave him all he needed to take her where she needed to go. She walked off into the station and looked at all of the people there. It took very little time at all for her to note the weirdly dressed people walking into the barrier between Platform 9 and 10. So, she simply took her things and walked through as well.

She smiled and nodded at other people and quickly boarded the Hogwarts Express. Once on board she found an empty cabin and put her things away. She then sat in a seat and thumbed through a book on spell theory and sighed to herself, "You know shadow it says here that one should not be able to transfigure anything or levitate and move things without a wand. I will absolutely have to examine more books at School as this one is obviously rubbish."

She set it aside and instead looked through her potions text. He sat back and thrilled as she sped through the text and just as if it were a cook book at her own house she began thinking of ways to shorten steps and make things easier and possibly quicker.

Sometime later a red haired boy stepped in the cabin and looked at her. He began to speak, stopped himself, and then walked away. She shrugged and continued reading. Soon enough the train was on its way and not long after that another young girl with bushy brown hair stepped in the cabin and said, "Have you seen a toad?"

She looked up from her book and said, "No is there some pertinent reason I should have seen a toad?"

The other girl smiled at her and said, "Well Neville has lost his and I volunteered to help him, so have been searching through the cabins asking around."

Harry stood and smiled then said, "Well there is a spell we could use. Why don't we try that as well as knocking on doors and bothering people?" She held out her hand and with youthful cheer said, "Harriet Potter, but most people call me Harry."

The other girl took her hand and said, "Hermione Granger are you really her?"

"I'm not sure what you mean exactly?"

"You know, the-girl-who-lived, the slayer of Voldemort and savior of the Wizarding World." There was some awe and curiosity in Hermione's voice.

Harry simply shook her head and said, "Well I am Harriett Potter as for the rest it seems a bit overblown to me. After all I was only a little child in a crib. I don't see how anything I could have done on my own would have defeated Voldemort."

She was right and he knew it too. He wasn't sure what it had been, but strangely he was now happy that it had occurred. He was strangely happy that he could share her life and watch over her. He had great ambitions for her and he wouldn't want them to collapse after all. "Well, what spell do you think might work?"

Harry stood walked out to the hall, held up her wand and said, "What was that young boy's name again?"

"Neville" Hermione provided.

Harry nodded and with a swish and flick of her wand said softly, "Acio Neville's Toad."

Down the hall a door made a thump sound and a voice said, "Crikey where did that frog come from?"

Hermione smiled at Harry and said, "I bet that must be it."

The two witches walked down the hall to the door and knocked. The same red haired boy Harry had seen earlier opened it and she smiled at him saying, "Have you seen a toad?"

He held up an unconscious toad and said, "Yeah this thing came out of nowhere. I thought it was a frog."

Hermione took it out of his hands and said, "The best way to tell the difference between a frog and toad is skin texture. The toad tends to have dry and bumpy skin. The frog conversely has smooth skin. This, of course, makes the statement 'Slimy Toad' a misnomer."

The red haired boy stared at Hermione in shock and so Harry interrupted the silence by saying, "So shall we return the amphibian to its rightful owner?"

Hermione nodded and the two witches walked off looking for Neville. As they walked the two stumbled into a young blonde haired witch. The boy smiled at her and said, "Harry how nice to see you again. I hope everything went well on your first excursion into the alley."

Harry nodded and said, "Quite well thank you Draco."

By then the boy was glaring at Hermione and said, "A word of advice Harry. Pure Blood's like ourselves do not mingle with Mudbloods like her. It would behoove you to pick your friends wisely."

Harry's green eyes glowed lightly with some inner mirth and she said simply, "I shall take that advice quite seriously. Thank you."

With that she walked off and Hermione followed. The bushy haired girl did not need to be told that Harry was cutting Malfoy by departing with her in tow and yet she still needed the extra reassurance and so stopped her when they had gotten out of ear shot, "What did you mean Harry?"

Harry looked at her and smiled a secret smile saying, "I am taking his advice seriously and I think it obvious that I will wisely choose to be friends with a nice young girl like yourself instead of some stuck up boy with bigoted ideas."

He was unsure what to think about the two. The Granger girl was a mudblood and yet he himself had been a half-blood. The entire idea of superiority had simply been a means to gaining power and besides the boy was connected to his father. They were connected to the Death eaters and a dark miasma of power. If he wanted his daughter to remain pure, to remain so lovely she could not be associated with them. Thus, it was clear that she should ally herself with the mudbloods. He just hoped she would not be foolish enough to trust Albus Dumbledore.

-Chapter 4-

With toad delivered Hermione and Harry sat with Neville discussing potential classes. The young boy told them all about his grandmother's garden and shared some simple gardening tips. The food cart came by and they ordered lightly and ate in a companionable cheer. Soon enough the train was slowing down and coming to a stop and they were ushered out into the rain. Apparently their bags would be magically transported to their rooms, but first they had to cross a moat in small boats.

A huge man with a beard put an arm on her shoulder. He was alert to her sudden fear and ready to pounce ready to take her away and keep her safe while he did what was necessary, but she calmed down. It was only that giant fool Hagrid and he was nearly worshipping his daughter. Vile imprecations and rage filled him, but he let it be as the young girl was obviously uncomfortable with the attention and made haste to scurry into a boat and away from the giant man.

Soon enough they were in the great hall waiting to be sorted into their respective houses. The hat sang a droll meaningless song and time passed. Then her name was called and Harry Potter stepped up and sat in the chair. The hat was placed on her head and it spoke to her, _"Well now what do we have here. Intelligence and curiosity, but not a simple devotion to it. Loyalty and friendliness enough for any Hufflepuff. But, oh is there a dark shadow in you Miss potter a shadow of blackest night and cold cruel ambition. Yet at the same time you have a purity and courage rarely ever seen in my days."_

"Gryffindor!" The hat shouted and she walked to that table while he sighed in relief. She would be safer here, protected from the darkness and her light would shine. He would make sure of that and woe be it to any who would even consider harm to her.

-Chapter 5-

He wondered if he should call himself shadow now. It certainly seemed appropriate he was her shadow wasn't he? If he left she would have no darkness at all and yet how could he leave her to that. How could he allow any darkness to stain her soul if he was gone and how would he ever see her fulfill his ambitions for her? No, best to be here, and take in the darkness accept it as his own. He mused as she stepped into her Defense against the Dark arts class.

Then he felt something new and she looked upon Quirrel. It was the other piece the other part of what he had once been and it was here in that man. Even as she looked an attack lanced out, but he caught it pulled it to himself and she felt nothing. He grasped the lance of power and sent his own blast back directly towards the source. Everyone in class was surprised when Professor Quirrel fainted after simply turning away from the class and writing on the board.

She shrugged and departed the class with Hermione and Neville. The three passed Ron Weasley and Seamus Finnegan and sat in the common room to talk. Not long after that Ron and Seamus came in along with the rest of their year mates who had been in class. It was Dean Thomas who said, "I hear he was all stutter and flustered, but fainting just because he saw Harriett," she frowned at him, "err Harry here. That's just silly."

Harry shrugged and the rest did as well leaving it as some strange one off occurrence. This is exactly what it ended up being, because by the time the next defense class occurred Quirrel made very sure to keep the back of his head from pointing anywhere near Harry.

-Chapter 6-

She sat down in his classroom her hair a perfect shade of auburn and her eyes the same green as her mother's. Ohh her mother the thought alone roused him with desire. She would be waiting at his house, waiting for him to return and then ohh the things he would do with her.

He shook his head a moment and stared at the young Potter girl, she was only eleven and yet her hair was like her mother's and her face a perfect circle with small pink lips and brilliant green eyes. Eyes alive with spark and vitality that Lilly had lost so long ago, his mind remembered back when they were young. At eleven Lilly had just two small umps and yet it had made him wild even then, he bet her daughter would be the same and under her robes she would be wearing white panties. He shivered with delight at the idea.

The class sat in silence as Snape stared at Harry finally he pulled his thoughts together and began his standard first year speech. He looked at the Potter girl and realized detention would solve what he wanted, detention and obliviation. All he needed was an excuse.

She didn't provide him one. She was calm and serene as he battered her with questions answering him on the difference between monkshood and wolves bane, not sure where to find a bezoar, but saying, "I believe it has to do with hair and can be found in a stomach, but I cannot recall what animal."

"A goat Miss Potter." He sneered and looked down at her finally turning and deducting ten points just for sheer spite. She calmly accepted it and went to her cauldron, there she stood across from Ron Weasley and gently corrected him as he worked. The boy yelled at her in frustration, but she shrugged it off and said, "Very well I will mind my own if that is your desire."

He deducted twenty from Gryffindor for the Weasley boy's outburst, but she just approached his desk just before the end of class, placed a potion on it and started back to her seat. He stared at the jar wishing it would have any errors at all, but knowing it for a near perfect draught. He clenched his hands in frustration and settled for hoping she would make some other mistake as his eyes roamed over her with desire.

After class she stood with her broom chatting amiably with Neville and Hermione. The young Longbottom boy had seemed shy at first, but after a few days he had become more animated. The bushy haired brunette said, to her, "I don't know the way Snape was looking at you and those questions the other day. He's a creep of some sort."

Neville nodded and said, "When he stood over me I couldn't control my hands and just dropped my ingredients in. It was terribly embarrassing and I think he enjoyed it. That man is evil"

Harriett pushed a lock of hair over her ear and said, "He does seem quite unpleasant. But as to his good or evil I really can't bring myself to judge. Perhaps he has some reason we do not understand for his behavior."

Hermione shook her head and said, "You do seem to try and think best of people," she looked at Neville as he nervously fingered a little ball. "Did you forget something Neville?"

The boy sighed and said, "Well it's lit so I must have, but I can't remember what it could be that I've forgotten."

Harry chuckled and said, "I guess that makes it the magical version of a string on your finger."

Neville and Hermione joined in the laughter and then the Slytherin class approached them along with Madame Hooch. They quieted down and set their brooms to the ground and then when Hooch asked they simply said "Up"

The brooms rose to their hands and they mounted as instructed. Unfortunately for Neville he went up too far and then fell off with a crash. Hooch ordered everyone to the ground and took him to the infirmary with a stern warning for anyone who would dare take to the air.

Draco, by then, had found Neville's rememberall and was prancing about with it. Hermione looked to him and said, "Give that back it isn't yours!"

The young blonde laughed and took off on his broom. "Come and get it Mudblood!"

Hermione looked to her broom pondering her next actions when Harry simply pointed at Malfoy and said, "Acio Neville's Rememberall"

Malfoy tried to keep hold of it for a moment and was pulled into a dive towards the ground. Seeing his danger he released the ball and it floated into Harriett's waiting hand. She smiled at him sweetly and he cursed at her, "You chose poorly Potter. Blood traitors and Mud blood lovers are not accepted in any polite society."

The young Potter girl just shrugged her shoulders and said, "You know I do believe Madame Hooch said not to be flying without her."

The young blonde smirked and said, "Who cares about that fat old lady."

Even as he spoke said fat old lady called out, "Draco Malfoy! That will be thirty points from Slytherin and two detentions for you young man. Now get down on the ground, you can sit out while the rest of the class practices."

After that the class went well and Harry along with Hermione went to the Infirmary where they found Neville recovering nicely.

Author's Notes: FF Net was giving me a strange error bug on Queen of Terra and I couldn't post chapters. I got bored and drifted and read around on Dark Lord Potter forums finding some neat stuff there. Then I had this vision of Snape getting Lilly and how that would work out. I started writing it, but at about the point where James was over Harry's bed I realized it was wrong it didn't fit the right mold. Mother saves Son's life so Father needs to save Daughter. Finished the prologue and realized I had a complete rehash.

Then I wondered what would happen if Voldemort did learn to care for someone. What would he be like? Would it change him or would he just be a psychopath in love. I realized that I had a chance to work with it here and thus this story was born. The words flowed right out of my brain at high speeds and I got lost in the little world I created.


	2. Book I: Chapters 7 through Epilogue

Harriett Potter: Light and Shadow

Book I

Harriett Potter was born to James and Lilly. She survived thanks to her father's love, but something else resides within her. It is a dark and violent shadow that will do anything to keep her safe and fulfill its ambitions for her.

Disclaimer: This belongs to J.K. Rowling and so many other people it's not funny. None of the characters or world situations are mine.

WARNING: This story contains dark and disturbing elements including rape and bloody violence. It also includes at least one character fantasizing about pedophilia. The author does not condone any of these violent acts and asks that anyone who is squeamish about any of these topics to please depart immediately. Read at your OWN RISK you have been warned.

Warning II: This Story also contains lighthearted elements and fuzzy feelings. If those disturb you feel free to move on to ZOMG Harry Potter Evil Bastard I'm sure there must be one somewhere

-Chapter 7-

Sometime later the three meet up with Draco Malfoy and his two goons Crabbe and Goyle. The three boys launched numerous insults at them, but Harriet simply took Hermione's hand and turned to depart. As they did so Draco called after them, "That's right why don't you three witches run off now."

It is Harry who turns towards him and says, "I do not understand why your bigotry and vile must be hurled at myself and my friends, but your simple error in ability to denote sexual orientation is clearly a sign of a low intellect."

Draco moved closer and Harriett stared at him with a sweet smile on her face, "What will you do Draco Malfoy? You do not know many spells and physical violence will place you in detention or worse."

She stood her ground and he glared at her, "Wizards duel. I challenge you to a wizards duel at Midnight."

"I have no reason to accept your proposition. You are not worth my time or my effort. Good day to you sir." She turned and walked off with Neville and Hermione behind her while Draco stared at her retreating back and desperately wished something in the first year curriculum would allow him to curse her.

Her shadow, unbeknownst to her, had been ready to take over at any time. It had been ready to take over and rip the boy into tiny gibbets of flesh just like it had done to Vernon Dursley. Its rage was so great that she momentarily rubbed her scar and he had to retreat. So he did, back to the darkness and away from her with an eye out to see and watch. An eye that would always be entranced by the beauty of this girl he helped to create, his daughter in spirit if not in body. She finished rubbing her scar absently and opened a door whereupon the three students came face to face with a gigantic three headed black dog.

She blinked at the creature as it rushed towards them and then quickly slammed the door. "Okay apparently I have taken a wrong turn."

Hermione and Neville agreed and the three departed the area post haste. At the same time Albus Dumbledore was not a happy man. Harriett Potter was a genius and a whiz in her classes. True many Ravenclaws were scoring near the same level Harriett was and Hermione Granger was as well, but she was something more. Her transfigurations were beyond perfect and her spells went far beyond the current curriculum for her year. The only problem was the test and confrontation. How was he ever going to get her to confront Quirrel?

He pondered the idea for some time and finally hatched a plan. Said plan began to sprout on Halloween when young Potter and Granger were the unfortunate recipients of a bladder engorgement potion and so ended up in the Girl's bathrooms together for some time while the annual Halloween party was ongoing.

Harriett sighed as her bladder finally became the right size. "You know Hermione as much as Ron Weasley and his brothers like these pranks I do believe we should retaliate in some fashion."

Hermione replied, "No it will just escalate into some sort of prank war. We'd never hear the end of it."

"You're right, perhaps if we do not act much inconvenienced or embarrassed we will be left alone. Even so I may have to find something fun that will not implicate us in any way."

Hermione finished and stepped to the sink where she found Harriet washing and said, "Well if you do think of something brilliant let…"

The rest of her statement was drowned out as a gigantic troll smashed through the door and loomed over them. It raised its club and the two girls retreated away just in time. It raised its club again and Harriett had changed. Her wand was held in her grasp and an evil sneer was on her face. The wand pointed and she said, "Langolier"

With that small balls of teeth shot from her wand and began to devour the troll. It screamed in pain and horror as it was slowly erased from existence. Hermione stared at her friend in muted horror and the girl said, "I would kill you for seeing this, but she cares for you. So…Obliviate"

The spell struck and Hermione shook her head. She was still standing there and her friend had her wand out pointing where the troll had been, but it was gone. She blinked, looked to Harriett and said, "Harry how did you do that?"

The green eyed girl looked back at her and said, "I'm not exactly sure. One moment I was pointing my wand and the next it was gone."

Hermione nodded slowly unsure what to say as Harriett Potter looked at her shadow a moment and said, "Thank you, I don't think I could have handled that on my own."

Hermione responded by saying, "Well you're welcome, but it certainly seemed like you handled it on your own. After all who else was in here with us?"

Harriett looked at her and said, "Right just you me and my shadow."

With that she took Hermione's hand and the two walked out of the bathroom and towards the Halloween Celebration. Unfortunately the celebration had been cancelled due to a troll that Quirrel said he had found in the dungeons. A search of the grounds found no troll and everyone went their way making comments about that wacky Quirrel and his vivid imagination.

-Chapter 8-

Time passed as it inevitably does. Harriett and Hermione became close friends and Neville became something of a third party. The other Gryffindors were quite friendly as well if perhaps a bit less into studying than those three. Indeed even Neville was not as into the books as Hermione and Harriett.

By the time winter break came young Harriett said she would be staying at the castle, but Hermione requested that she visit her house for at least a few days. The green eyed girl absolutely could not refuse and so enjoyed some time at the Granger residence.

Hermione's parents were overjoyed to have the other girl in their house and were warm and pleasant when she arrived.

It was the next morning at breakfast that they were utterly stunned as they walked into their kitchen to find the young Potter girl humming to herself as she prepared a small breakfast feast. Batter poured itself onto a skillet, bacon flipped itself into a plate with paper towels on its own, juice cups filled themselves, and the coffee maker dinged.

The green eyed girl looked up to them as the older Grangers walked in and simply began setting the table while the food seemed to magically prepare itself. It was Hermione's mother who spoke first saying, "Harry dear, you didn't have to go through all this trouble for us."

"Oh, but I do this at home all the time. It's expected of me and I thought you might like it." Her voice was light and her mind was far off in a happy daze.

The two adults looked at each other as she finished setting the table and had their breakfast float itself onto the plates. It was Mr. Granger who finally called up, "Hermione could you come down here!"

The bushy haired girl rushed down the steps to see her friend preparing breakfast magically without a wand. Her eyes bugged out and without thought she said, "Holy shit!"

"Language young lady!" Her mother scolded.

Everything finished placing itself at the table and Harriett stood there smiling with a happy glaze in her eyes. "Mum, it's just that what she just did isn't supposed to be possible without a wand. I mean not unless you're much older and really powerful. I just…well its amazing!"

Harriett sat at the table and the glaze seemed to wash away and she looked at the others saying, "Won't you join me?"

Mr. Granger sat down and said, "Uh...of course where are my manners. Thank you young lady for the lovely breakfast. If I might request that you allow us to prepare any other meals while you are here? It really is our place as hosts to do so you know."

The green eyed girl nodded and said, "Of course sir, I will of course do as you prefer."

Mrs. Granger took a bite of the perfectly fluffy pancake and savored its delicate sweetness. She looked to her husband a moment as if to ask him if he was sure he didn't want to have such a marvelous feast again, but realized that it would just be taking advantage of a kind eleven year old girl.

Hermione loved the meal, but couldn't help herself and so asked, "How did you do that Harry?"

"Oh my aunt and cousin have had me making food and cleaning house for them ever since I can remember. My uncle too when he was alive."

The simple way she stated her lot in life and her almost cheerful acceptance nearly broke the adult Granger's hearts. Oh they had heard she was an orphan and some about an unhappy home life, but to see it in front of them and so bald faced was the final nail in the coffin. It was Mrs. Granger who said, "You know Harry we'd be more than happy if you stayed with us for the entire winter break if you like."

"I can?" She beamed, "That's so very kind Hermione has been my absolute best friend in Hogwarts and maybe ever. Staying with you and her will be the best holiday ever."

He watched her from his vantage point. The holiday brought her more joy and happiness than he had ever seen in her and the vibrant feelings washed over him. Then she hugged Hermione after receiving a present the two girls embraced and it was sheer painful bliss.

Harry felt the same and wondered just what it all meant. She loved her friend Hermione like a sister? Or was there something else. She wasn't really sure, so she dropped the thoughts and simply enjoyed the experience and time with her friend.

Later in the day Hermione sat on her bed across from the girl and said, "So according to all the magical theory books I have read what you just did today isn't possible unless you are an adult wizard with long, long years of practice and even then it's not common."

Harriett nodded and said, "I read the same thing, but you know when I was younger I never read those books. I just experimented with the world around me and noted that I could change it to make myself happy or do what I needed done. No one ever told me I couldn't make my chores easier with magic and no one told me I couldn't transfigure things if that's what I wanted. Most important here is no one told me I would need a wand."

Hermione looked at her friend and said, "So you're saying it's only impossible because everyone thinks it is or something?"

Harry shrugged and said, "Well I certainly can't cast most spells without a wand. I know I've tried, but levitation and transfiguration well I just do them and when I add the wand it's hardly any different at all."

"Well transfiguration has no incantations or words. We just point our wands and imagine what we need to make. Then Levitation has an incantation, but we mentally control it after that first incantation."

"Yes, I see Hermione. You are hypothesizing that due to the mental control aspect both things may need less wand waving and require more effort of will right?"

Hermione nodded and said, "Exactly and the best way to experiment is to have me try and replicate your results. If I can do it our hypothesis will be supported by evidence and if not, then we will find a new one."

The experiment began and it soon turned out that Hermione could levitate small objects and transfigure small items without her wand. It wasn't quite up to Harriett's level, but the green eyed girl had been doing it for years whereas Hermione had only a few days.

-Chapter 9-

She lowered herself onto him and presented her nipples for his delight. He pulled on them and then simply sat back to watch watched as she worked herself up and down his shaft and yet he was not happy. The little one, her green eyes mocked him and her small body begged him to use it. He thought about poly juice for a moment, but it just wouldn't be the same. He sneered at the green eyed mother and said, "Enjoy yourself more, cum three times and keep going."

The woman shuddered with unwanted pleasure and continued to work on him. Oh she was his, but it wasn't enough anymore. The dark lord was out there in Quirrel, but he was a fool. Somehow his great lord had become a simpering shadow of his former glory and it just wouldn't do.

Perhaps he could defeat two birds with one stone. Give the brat bits of information or arrange for her to hear them and then catch her out if she followed the bits and was out of bounds. Oh yes, he fantasized about her small bottom in white panties begging him to stop, pleading with him. "Ohhh yessss!" he cried out as the mother finished her task above him, then brought her mouth down and licked him clean.

Someday he would have them both in here. He just knew it….

-Chapter 10-

Shadow watched as she passed by Ronald Weasley and Dean Thomas the two boys had the Daily Prophet and were apparently discussing something odd about it. She stopped and looked to the boys, "What's strange Ron?"

The red haired boy looked at her and said, "Well Dean and I saw this issue just sitting here but Dean swears he remembers it just saying 'Robbery at Gringott's and well I might not have read that issue, but the comics in the back are different too."

She paused and crinkled her nose up in thought, "Well let me take a look and then we can go to the library and find the back issue to see."

The read haired boy handed it to her and said, "Here you can have it."

He departed and Dean just gave her a shrug. She sighed and said to herself, "Well I'll just go find Hermione then. Silly boys interested in a mystery, but not the means to solve it. Seriously there's more to courage and bravery than standing up to bad things you know."

With that she walked off to find Hermione. Soon after the two witches were examining the two papers and noting the slight differences. Hermione said, "Maybe this one is a special extended edition or late edition and the Library only gets the first issue of the day?"

Harriett nodded and said, "It is possible I suppose and it might be somewhat spectacular to note that instead of 'Robbery at Gringott's' we have 'Attempted theft of the Philosopher's stone', but the comics are different too."

"I know, maybe someone switched issues or jumbled them together or something?"

The green eyed girl nodded and said, "Possible, but why would anyone want to steal the Philosophers Stone and does this strange paper have to do with it?"

Hermione smiled and said, "Well it says here that Nicholas Flamel was storing it there. Why don't we look him up?"

Harriett nodded and the two girls spent some time perusing the stacks for a Nicholas Flamel. It took some time, but finally Harriett came back to the table and said, "Here he is in 'Alchemical secrets of the past' and it even details more on the stone."

"Oh let's take a look." With that the two girls perused the paged Harriett had found while a disillusioned Snape watched with a small smile on his face hoping they would do something foolish, but he was disappointed when they simply put the books away and returned to their dorm on time.

It was some days later in their dorm and the two girls had been spending most of their time on school and studies. Still they managed recreation in the form of spending time in the library with advanced texts and discussing magical theory. They tried to get some of the other girls and Gryffindor students to join in, but they were often too busy with their own assignments or other things that they found to be fun.

Then came a day when Harriett looked to Hermione who was studying and said, "You know it strikes me as odd that Cerberi are only used to guard things and that according to Sythe's treatise on trolls they smell in a certain way that makes Cerberi run away."

Hermione cocked her head and said, "Cerberi?"

Harriett nodded and said, "Octopus is Octopi, so Cerberus must be Cerberi."

"I'll have to look it up in a magical dictionary later, but it does seem to fit the rule. Of course if it is guarding something, then what do you think it could be?"

Hermione sniffed out and said, "But what does that have to…oh,' her eyes widened and she added, "Still where is the logic train here?"

"Well, if you had time the other day you could have seen the illegal dragon Hagrid is keeping in his shed. I myself was going to put it off, but Neville wanted to see and he's afraid of the man so I went to keep him company."

Hermione looked at her friend and knew that while her statement had been pure truth, it was also not the complete truth. But, she let her get away with it and said, "So you saw the dragon and then what?"

"Well I told him he'd have to send it away before he was in trouble and he explained that he had gotten it in some place or other from a man he had beaten at cards and of course he told the man about the creature's weaknesses."

Harriett finished and Hermione looked at her and said, "Okay, so we have the Cerberus, this dragon of Hagrid's and some shady character who was asking him about it. We add that with the fact that we know someone stole the Philosopher's stone and…."

Hermione paused in thought and then said, "You think the stone is here being guarded by the dog."

Harriett laughed and said, "Well it's only a hypothesis, but it seems to me that while somewhat large and intimidating Hagrid does know some, perhaps all of the information and he did spill it to the boys while they we visiting."

Hermione nodded and said, "You think we should ask him right?"

"Well that and remove the dragon from his possession in some manner. I don't want the man to get into trouble, but owning one is illegal you know." Harriett's eyes sparkled with a strange mix of deviousness and the want to bring about the best possible outcome.

Hermione looked at her and said, "All right, so what is the plan."

Harriett looked back and said, "Well remember that cloak I got for Christmas?"

"Oh no Harriett you're not going to look in that silly mirror again are you? You had nightmares for weeks and all I saw was being Head Girl and holding perfect scores on all my exams."

"No, no. I still don't know why half the mirror showed me happy with my parents while the other half seemed to show corpses and blood of so many people while I stood atop them on a gleaming throne." He slunk back at that knowing that it had been his dream that caused her so much distress. He wanted her safe, and to do that he would kill everyone who stood in his way. Corpses would pile up and she would rule on high her radiance and love a soothing salve for everyone.

Hermione shrugged and said, "Well supposedly it's what you desire so you're secretly a megalomaniacal ruler of the world."

Harriett tossed her hair back and said, "Well I promise to rule only with love and justice. No bleeding corpses thank you."

Hermione pulled a face and said, "But mistress, we must present you with brains to fully laud your accomplishments."

Harriett threw a pillow at her friend and the two wrestled around like the young eleven year olds they were. After about fifteen or so minutes tired and out of breath Hermione panted and said, "So about that plan?"

Harriett's eyes lit up and she said, "Well I was thinking about some cosmic justice. Do you remember that practical joke the twins and Ron played on us? I know the perfect way to get them back and place the blame on someone else. Like that ponce Draco Malfoy."

Hermione liked the idea and said, "Well he did play that awful prank on Neville. I say we do it."

Harry smiled and said, "Great and while we're at it we can help Hagrid with his dragon problem."

-Chapter 11-

It started with a simple trip and Draco Malfoy slammed into Ron Weasley. The two boys began to bicker and fight and then Draco turned to stomp off when he tripped on something and his book bag fell to the floor. Once on the ground the flap opened and a tiny little dragon trotted out and proceeded to begin chewing on his hair. Draco shrieked like a little girl and ran, only to once again knock into Ron Weasley who also fell down and found that and found that the tiny dragon was just as interested in eating his hair. The two boys fumbled like mad in their attempts to escape and were only prevented from doing so as Fred and George Weasley happened into the corridor and both landed on their behinds as well.

By this time the little dragon though it was all some fun game and began chomping at bits of clothes and hair, pretty much anything he could get at. The excitement lasted another five minutes before

Headmaster Dumbledore came to the area, picked up the small dragon and said,"Well I don't know who you belong to, but we must send you to an appropriate reserve."

He then looked at the four people sliding around and crashing into each other and said, "As for you four, I believe that is quite enough of this little prank." He waved his wand said a few words and all four boys were standing again.

With that he walked off leaving the three Weasley boys Draco without much in the way of hair, pants or dignity. He passed down a hall and looked at what would normally be an empty spot and said, "Well that was such a strange instance of nearly karmic retribution. I'm sure it won't happen again." His eye twinkled and then he walked away."

The two girls under an invisibility cloak looked at each other with trepidation and then four boys walked past with chewed hair and pants and they had to hold their mouths to stop laughing. By the time they got back to their dorms and became visible again Hermione said, "Harry potter, you are evil and I should never have any part in these things."

Harriett shrugged and smiled, "We gave it the anti flame potion so no one was burned. Besides we were both ready with wands out if it did anything more than chew hair or pants. It might be possible that transfiguring the top layer of air on the floor into grease was a bit much, but you have to admit it was funny."

Hermione laughed and said, "Yes, well I'll give you that and our intentions were mostly noble."

Harriet smiled and gave her an innocent look saying, "Mostly?"

Hermione laughed again and threw a pillow. He watched from his perch smiling at the two girls. He had seen the entire thing and it had been pulled off to perfection. No real harm had come to any of the students and some scales had been balanced, yet no one other than Hermione knew that Harriett had done it. Most important to his mind his little girl hadn't tarnished her glow in any way by doing it. He wondered at that for a moment, but really couldn't figure it out. Still, it worried him that she might choose to stray to darkness, but he decided that even if she did he would still feel the same for her, but he would miss her glow. Her painful and yet beautiful glow that represented so much of things that he was not…

-Chapter 12-

Hermione smiled at her friend and said, "So exams are complete and the year is almost over, but we never did figure out if your hypothesis was correct and how to test it. Plus of course we have no promising suspects as to who might steal the stone or why."

Harriett said, "Well I was remembering the troll, maybe the smell thing just didn't work out so well when they realized that a giant smelly beast wasn't just going to go after a Cerberi."

Hermione nodded and said, 'Well Hagrid wasn't any help though right?"

"No, after I confiscated his Dragon and told him I was bringing it to Dumbledore, but wouldn't implicate him in any way…" she shrugged, "Well he only recently forgave me for that and it took an entire plate of cookies."

"Only you would find your way to cook and apology Harry."

Harriett just smiled and said, "I like cooking especially now. It's like potions, but without a creepy guy staring at you all the time."

"He does spend quite a bit of time staring at…" Hermione stopped and then said, "Oh no you think it's Snape don't you?"

Harriett nodded and said, "just a theory, but he has been so skeevy and that newspaper was close to Quirrel's office, but the potions puzzle was corrected from the original. I'm not sure why he was there with it, but I think it's him."

"Well the best thing to do is tell the Headmaster and see what he thinks about all of this. Personally it would never be enough to convict anyone in a court of law."

Neville happened to walk in the room and said, "What about a court of law?"

Hermione sighed and began to explain the situation to the other young Gryffindor. When she finished he agreed they should go see the headmaster immediately. Then Harriett took Hermione and Neville's hands and pulled them along to the Headmaster where they found Snape standing. The man stared down his nose at them and said, "Can I help you?"

"Just looking for the headmaster sir?"

"Well Miss Granger he isn't here and will not be returning until much later this evening."

Hermione nodded and the two girls left post haste. As they left Snape's eyes spent far longer lingering on one young girl's rear than would ever be appropriate for a man his age. Once out of earshot the green eyed girl said, "He is such a strange creep."

"I know, but who do we talk to next?"

Harriett though about it and said, "McGonagall I think, then Flitwick or one of the others."

"Right." Hermione took the lead, but neither professor was in. The two girls huffed with some exasperation and then Harriett led them to the door where the Cerberus was. It was standing open and the giant three headed dog was asleep.

Neville looked at the situation and said, "I'm not sure we should be here. I think we should go."

Harriett looked at him and said, "Well I'm going in to stop a thief and no one else is around to help at the moment except other kids like us. I don't want to get them in trouble or hurt or either of you two. So, you can both get me some help if you can find it. I'm going in."

Hermione shook her head and said, "I don't know why I let you lead me here Harry, but I think we'd best look into this."

Neville nodded and said, "Fine, I'll go find help. You're going to need a teacher or an adult and if I go no one will know where you went."

This time it was Harriett's turn to say, "Right." With that the two girls carefully bypassed the giant dog and went down some stairs shutting the trap door behind them. Once down the stairs they were grabbed by vines, but being well read students they simply relaxed.

After that they encountered a room of keys, but this one was bypassed by Hermione who looked at her friend and said, "Acio Key with one wing!"

The spell worked for the Granger girl as well as it had for Harriett and since the two were already at the exit a simple turn of the key allowed them out before the rest of the keys even began to attack. After that they faced a giant chess set, but Harriett simply transfigured the board into mud and they were able to move much quicker than the large pieces.

Confronted by the flames and potions at the end the green eyed girl looked at her friend and said, "We each drink half and then go through with a chilling charm. That should work and it's mostly smoke that kills you not fire."

"Yes, I've read that as well, but it's a bit less convincing in person." Hermione replied, but took the potion in hand anyway.

A drink later and the young girls were in the inner chamber looking at professor Quirrel. It was Harriett who said, "Well I guess part of my theory was wrong."

Quirrel turned towards her and with a silent gesture pulled both girls to him where they landed face first on the floor. "Well I can't seem to get what I want. What do you see in the mirror?"

The green eyed girl wasn't looking and Hermione said, "I'm Head Girl and I've passed all my tests with perfect grades. Why are you doing this Mr. Quirrel?"

"Why, I'll show you why." He turned and pulled off his turban. There was another face on the back of his head and it said, "Look in the mirror Potter or the other girl dies!"

His wand pointed and Harriett opened her eyes. The first sight was of him and then she lost consciousness. He came to the front, her shadow sneered at the other and said, "Poor choice of host, poor choice of everything really and now you must die."

Quirrel began to cast, "Avada Kedav…" But, shadow was faster than that. He quickly elongated her nails to dagger sized razor sharp points and thrust them directly into Quirrel's heart. The spell went unfinished on Quirrel's lips and the other part of Voldemort screamed in defiance as his host body died and mentally grappled with the other part of his soul. But, Harriett's shadow was more powerful, more driven by its need to protect her at all costs and the other bit of Voldemort was more concerned about his own life. He fled from her shadow and Quirrel dropped to the floor.

By this point Hermione was staring at her friend in shock, "Harry oh my god! Look what you did!"

Quirrel's body was already disintegrating and Shadow only had enough power to reduce the knife like nails and whisper, "Obliviate..." before he passed out and Harriett came back to herself.

The young green haired girl stared at the dust that remained of Quirrel and shuddered wondering just what she had done. She looked to Hermione, but the bushy haired girl was obviously out of it as well. Then a voice spoke from across the room, "Well well Ms. Potter I believe it may be against school policy to kill a professor. 100 points from Gryffindor and you will be serving detention with me."

"But he attacked me and he was trying to steal the stone. I had to stop you...er him. I didn't mean to kill him." She babbled out as her mind ran in circles trying to figure out what happened and why. Danger had yet again threatened her and she had blacked out. It was more than disconcerting and yet in some way she felt comforted as well.

Snape just walked closer to the girl his eyes staring at hers and his mind imagining all the things he would do to her. "Oh no daughter of James Potter, I think not. I think you will be serving detention with me for what you have done."

His hand reached out and touched her shoulder, "Come along and you as well Ms. Granger. Time to cease this foray out of bounds and be going back to your dorm rooms."

His hand was cold on her shoulder and a finger seemed to squirm like a worm on her neck. She followed along with him leading and watched as Hermione was sent into the common room. After that she walked with him towards his office in a silent horror.

The only thing that saved her was Albus Dumbledore. The old man stepped quickly down the hallway and said, "Ah Severus, I see you have Ms. Potter and are taking her to the infirmary."

Snape stared at the other man and with clear resignation in his voice said, "Yes, of course sir. She was injured when she went out of bounds and I believe she may have killed professor Quirrel possibly by accident, but still such things require discipline…"

Dumbledore cut him off saying, "I am well aware of what Ms. Potter has done today. She has done her mother proud and helped to stop Voldemort once again."

Snape looked clearly disgusted and said, "Of course sir. Little miss heroine once again saves the Wizarding world." He let go of Harriett's arm and added, "Well since you are here you can escort her to the infirmary."

Once there Harriett was simply diagnosed as exhausting her magical core and was given a sleeping draught. When she woke up Dumbledore was there again. She smiled lightly up at him and said, "Sir do you know what happened?"

"You will find that there is much here that I know about Harry. In this case, yes I know you faced down Voldemort once again. I believe he perished because of your father's love. He sacrificed his life for you and that is was I think saved you the first time and the other day. Voldemort could not understand the power of such love."

He stared at his nemesis and mentally mocked him. Knowing that it wasn't her father's love that saved Harriett, but his protection, his desire to see her live and thrive. It wasn't love it was…was…ambition for the girl who he had begun to think of as his daughter. It was great ambition for her and nothing else.

As her Shadow lied to himself Harriett said, "What about the stone sir?"

Dumbledore smiled and said, "Still protected in the mirror. I think, however, it should be destroyed."

The green eyed girl looked at Dumbledore and said, "Well I hope you ask Mr. Flamel first. After all it's his stone and he might object if you destroy it without permission."

Dumbledore's eye twinkled as he chuckled, "Of course Harry. Now I do believe someone wants to see you."

With that the old wizard walked to the door and opened it. Hermione dashed through and enveloped Harriett in a big hug, "Oh you're all right. I have no idea what happened to us in there, but I'm so glad you're all right."

Harriett laughed and hugged back saying, "Good and I'm glad for you as well. The next time we have an adventure we shall have to be more prepared."

"Adventure, oh no, Harriett Potter if you think you're dragging me along with you again you must be out of your mind." Hermione scolded, but she had a smile on her face.

Harriett just looked at her friend and said, "Well you never know what the future might bring."

A few days later at the end of year feast Slytherin ended up winning the house cup. Harriett and the rest of her year mates swore to themselves that they would win it next year. Then they all piled into the train and departed.

As they left Hermione hugged her friend again and said, "Now remember you promised to come over when you can and don't forget to write. Also, remember that my family already replied to my Owl and said they would be happy to have you for a couple weeks before school begins."

Harriett laughed and said, "I know, I know you've told me three times. I won't forget Hermione I promise."

With that the two witches went their separate ways. Harriett's summer at home was filled with her strange despondent happiness when making meals and cleaning. But, it was brightened whenever she called Hermione on the phone or went over.

-Epilogue-

He smiled at her back as he slammed into her from behind. She was wearing an old Hogwarts student robe and had her white panties pulled down. Her bottom was red and sore from a paddling and he was enjoying himself as she begged, "Oh Professor, please stop….please…oh it hurts!"

"Yes, that's right it's terribly painful for you and yet pleasurable too. You can't handle too much more or you'll explode." He kept going delighting in the fantasy until it was over.

He finished in her and then lay on the bed as she cried with the shame and terror he had told her to feel. He pulled her close and she couldn't resist him as he said, "Just think someday soon you can do this with me and your daughter. Won't that be grand? Hmm, I wonder if Lucious still has that Diary. It will surely be a helpful device…"

End Book I

Author's Notes: Harriett's Shadow is somewhat OC, but he has evolved from the monster he used to be into a new monster. He's still a pycopathic monster willing to commit any atrocity to get what he wants, it's just that instead of wanting to rule teh Wizarding World he wants to keep this girl he thinks of as his daughter alive and fufill his ambitions for her (most likely ruling the Wizarding World too...) In any case in TVtropes land Harriett acts as his Morality pet.

In any case, because I enjoyed this first foray into HP Fan fiction there is a high likelihood that I'll keep writing this with each year being One or two FF net chapters. The most likely matchup is Harriett/Hermione with Harriett/Neville and Hermione/Ron coming in at a distant second. I hope you enjoyed it.

Q


	3. Book II: Chapters 1 through 9

AN: I don't own this stuff except the spelling and grammar mistakes. Those are entirely mine. The characters and all that J.K. Rowling is aweseome! If only the last two books weren't better...sigh...

Harriett Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

-Chapter 1-

Harriett picked up the phone, but again there was no dial tone. She sighed and wondered how it was possible that her friends had forgotten about her. Also, how the damn phone could possibly work for her Cousin and her Aunt, but always failed when she was near it. Nothing she had brought home explained the phenomena.

Even so there had been no Owls and no regular mail posting either. By the time her birthday came around the young green eyed girl was in the kitchen pondering the strange circumstances when Petunia Dursley returned home from her job as an Executive Assistant at Frobisher and Sons in a happy mood. She sat at the table and sipped some tea ignoring where it had come from and the person who had sent it her way.

Dudley rolled through the door and sat at the table. Petunia smiled to him and said, "Dinner will be ready soon love. Then when you are finished mummy wants you to go on to the play room and do whatever you like okay snookums?"

He nodded to his mother and then his piggish face sneered and he shouted, "Potter where is my food!"

Plates floated into the room and set themselves down in front of Dudley who immediately began scarfing the food. Petunia looked to the kitchen and said, "Harriett, Nigel Frobisher of Frobisher and Sons will be here soon and I expect that the food will be ready and on the table before he arrives. I do not want to see any of your freakish magic while he is here."

"Yes Aunt Petunia." She called.

Soon after that Dudley was off playing his games and she sent two exquisitely prepared meals to the table. Once she was done with that she retired to her room. There on the bed was a house elf. She looked at the emaciated creature wearing some scrap of trash for a loin cloth and said, "What are you doing in my room?"

He listened to her speak her voice becoming her own again and he seethed with his hatred and anger. He had learned to despise the way she went away learned to hate not having her searing soul close to his dark anger. It was a Slytherin defense and it helped her win against the Muggles in some way and yet he despised it all the same, because it was dangerous for her dangerous if he wanted her to become a powerful witch some day, and he lost his searing pain that he had begun to desire. He pondered how to get it back all the time ways o get rid of the two surviving Dursleys. He could not simply kill them using her body and he could not leave her form. Still there must be some way to arrange their deaths.

He ceased his pondering as Harriett spoke with the house elf. A pitiful creature beneath notice it cringed at her feet and begged her not to return to Hogwarts. He smiled inwardly as she said, "Preposterous, I will be returning to Hogwarts despite any vague threats to my safety."

"Please, Harriett Potter must listen to Dobby. She must not return to Hogwarts!" His voice was loud and whiny.

She frowned at the creature in front of her door and realized that if he continued in this manner her Aunt's dinner would be interrupted and some form of punishment would be inflicted. So she looked at the elf and said, "I tell you what Dobby. I will consider your proposal if you leave now and return in the morning."

The elf popped away and she sighed in relief. Sometime later she heard the rattling of her Aunt's bed on her room along with squeals and animalistic grunts. She sighed softly and said, "Shadow that woman is utterly repulsive."

He agreed with her in full measure. She reminded him too much of his own pathetic mother and what she had done. Such creatures made him feel ill and he swore once again that he would find a way to kill Petunia Dursley.

-Chapter 2-

The next morning Dobby arrived bright and early. Harriett scrambled out of bed in her aging nightshirt and panties to look at the creature. He was trembling and said, "Has the great Witch Harriett Potter made up her mind? Will she stay away from Hogwarts?"

She looked at him and said, "No, I'm going."

"But Harriet's friends don't like her. They never send owls and they never use the muggle call thing." The creature whined.

She looked at him and said, "It's called a telephone and how would you know….." She stopped and looked at him saying, "You've been stealing my mail and stopping the phone haven't you?"

He started hitting himself and saying, "Bad Dobby bad!"

She stood from her bed and said, "Now wait, and stop hitting yourself. I don't want to hurt you or for you to hurt yourself. I just want my mail."

"Oh Harriet cares about Dobby. She is a great Witch indeed!" He was at her feet sobbing and said, "Harriett must not return to Hogwarts. Dobby is a bad elf, but he does this to protect the great Harriett Potter."

She shook her head and said, "Look everyone calls me Harry and I'm sorry but I'm going to Hogwarts and I also want my letters back."

The creature shook its head saying, "No, Dobby will keep the letters unless Harriett promises to stay here and not return to Hogwarts."

She quickly rushed for the elf, but he spotted her and opened the door. She ran after him and tried to grab him, but missed. She thumped down the stairs at near full speed, somehow managing to keep her feet under her until she reached the bottom step. There she landed and rushed after the house elf again. He dodged out of her way and she chased him into the living room where she tried to grab Dobby one more time, but he dodged over the couch and she ended up tumbling to the ground on the other side as he disappeared.

As she was attempting to determine the state of her injuries and find her balance a man of about sixty with a large pot belly and receding hairline peeked into the living room wearing a rumpled suit shirt and slacks. She realized her bum was out and quickly stood up as he said, "Oh pardon me. I'm Nigel Frobisher. Petunia said I could stay here for the night. She mentioned a healthy young lad for a son and a young serving girl. I assume that's you?"

The amount of unspoken vile diatribe that Petunia must have used when speaking about her niece/serving girl was obvious in his face. "Ahh yes," she cleared her throat and blushed with embarrassment at some stranger walking in and seeing her with her night shirt up to her elbows and arse sticking out like that.

He just looked at her and said, "Well I must be going soon, but your aunt says that you will be providing breakfast."

She nodded, "yes sir, just a moment sir." She quickly moved upstairs to get dressed in something more than her night clothes, but she tried her doorknob and found it locked. She stared at it with a frown. Down the hall was Dobby saying, "You say you won't go and I'll let you in."

She grimaced and simply turned back down the stairs and went into the kitchen. Staring at her from a bar stool was Mr. Frobisher and so she began to make eggs, pancakes and bacon without any extra levitation and trying to ignore his staring.

In the middle of making food she saw a large pitcher of water rose over Mr. Frobisher's head and quickly scrambled up to the counter and grabbed it, falling backwards into the kitchen and spilling the water all over her. Standing up with her wet shirt sticking to her she saw the elf around a corner. Words and wand movements came to her and she pointed her wand saying, "Stupefy!"

The elf went down and Mr. Frobisher was looking at her strangely. She looked back at him and realized that with the water and all she may as well have been standing in front of the man naked. The summer had given rise to small changes in her and with the cold of the water and the room she was giving him quite the show. Without another thought she rushed out of the kitchen saying, "Sorry, need to change. Coffee is ready!"

She opened her room door and slammed it behind her. There in her room she quickly changed out of her wet clothing. Sounds outside the room suggested her aunt and cousin were awake and apparently the old hag was giving some sort of explanation for Harriett's behavior before the outside door closed.

A short while later her aunt sauntered in and said, "Well Harry, despite your rude and improper behavior Mr. Frobisher would love to see me again and has put in for a raise. Still, some punishment for this outburst must be given so you will be returning to the cupboard for the remainder of the summer."

Harriett just sighed and then trudged down the stairs even as Petunia was saying, "Now go clean up your mess and make little Duddiekins and me some breakfast."

As she prepared the food an owl flapped into the room and deposited a letter. She stared at the letter while her levitation charms took care of breakfast and then opened it. Inside it Read:

TO: Harriett Potter

From: Ministry of Magic

Re: Underage Use of Magic

Dear Harriett Potter,

This is your first warning. By law you may not use magic outside of school until you have reached your age of majority or you have passed a curriculum at a recognized school of witchcraft and wizardry whichever comes first.

Another such use of magic will bring you in to a hearing. At such hearing it will be determined if you shall be banned from practicing magic and your wand could be confiscated or snapped.

She looked at the letter, then looked at what she was doing while making breakfast and for the first time she really understood just how amazing her own ability and now Hermione's ability to practice wandless levitation magic truly was. She also realized that there must be some sort of trace on her wand and briefly wondered how to remove it.

-Chapter 3-

Sometime later in the darkness of the cupboard he watched as she looked at the door and concentrated on the lock. Her finger pointed she channeled the magic and called out the words, "Alohamora!"

The tumblers creaked in the lock, but didn't disengage. Still she was undaunted and tried again. He watched in the dark of the cupboard as she tried again, and again. Her wand was in her room and no owl would get in here for post, she was only allowed out for chores and then back in here

Again, she was at the lock and pushing her magic pouring it out like a waterfall. Her finger pointed and she swished and flicked it, then spoke the word again. This time the lock disengaged, but she had exhausted herself and so was unable to do anything more than sleep until morning chores.

She walked towards the cupboard and he saw a new tactic in action. This time as she stepped in she slightly transfigured the wood in the slot for the lock. Her aunt turned the key and walked off ignoring the simple fact that the lock was no longer engaged and that the door could be pushed open with a gentle tap.

That night Harriett simply pushed on the door and it opened. With a grin on her face Harriett swung the door wide open and she walked to the phone. There she attempted to make a call, but once again the phone was dead.

Time passed slowly as she plotted her escape and return. The calendar changed and small bits around the house were slightly modified by a piece of transfiguration work. Her old room door was open and her supplies were ready. She had been reading books every night now that she could and felt she was prepared for the new school year. Two weeks, that was all she had to wait and then she would escape in the night, wait for morning in a mostly safe location and then catch a Cab to Diagon Alley. There she could, hopefully, go to her vault and retrieve money for supplies. If not, then she'd simply go to school without them and ask Hermione to share.

A few days after finishing her plan she was simply waiting for the days to pass and going through her regular motions. She had just finished making her Aunt dinner for yet another visit from Mr. Frobisher and had been allowed up in her room while the man was there.

She sighed as she sat in her old rickety bed in her room feeling somewhat sorry for her aunt. Sure the woman usually locked her in a cupboard and only let Harriett stay in her room when guests were over for the night. Still, despite that and the fact that Petunia was lazy, mean and useless around the house it still seemed sad that the woman was basically selling her body for money and promotions. Dudley, of course, was in his room playing his video games or watching some new movie. There was something sad about that too. He was over indulged and spoiled. She knew he was a bully at school and that he most likely couldn't care that his mother was whoring herself out to her supervisor at work. Yet, it was all so sad. Neither of them truly seemed to understand or be able to give out real love.

She sighed and decided to use her time in her room wisely instead of pondering the sad state of affairs within the Dursley household. Supplies from last year had been slowly and painstakingly transfigured day by day into a smaller and smaller state until she was able to place them into her bag. As she was packing she said, "Good thing I didn't get a pet hmm shadow? The poor thing would have starved."

He said nothing back as usual, simply watching her and wondering how she could have possibly been feeling sorry for the Muggles who were enslaving her here. The idea was preposterous they were bugs to be squashed under her feet yet she felt sorry for the pathetic creatures. If only there was some way to remove them from her life. Pah even the pathetic muggle Grangers would do.

-Chapter 4-

Neither, Harriett's plan nor, her inner dark shadow's plan came to fruition. Instead that night she woke when her door opened and Dudley came in. The giant of a boy came into her room and said, "You're responsible for it. You made her like this because your freakishness killed my dad."

He was on her after that his large bulk covering her and hands trying to squeeze the life out of her. It was Dobby who slammed the fat boy into a wall and said, "You mustn't hurt Mistress Harriett Potter!"

She looked at the elf and said, "Thank you Dobby, but I have to go."

"No, you mustn't there is danger at Hogwarts for the Great Witch Harriett Potter." He cringed and whined.

She stared at him and said, "There's danger here! I need to go somewhere safe Dobby all right. Hogwarts is safe!"

The elf shook his head and said, "No too dangerous."

"Fine what about Hermione's house. Can I go there?"

He looked at her with a slightly suspicious glare, "You promise not to go to Hogwarts?"

She sighed and then a little gleam came to her eyes as she said, "I promise not to go to Hogwarts until I hear that it is safe."

The small elf nodded and she quickly departed the room with her things. Once out of the house she realized it was late at night and she didn't know exactly how to get to Hermione's house from where she was. Still there was an underground station about a half mile away and it would have a phone. She just hoped that the Granger's would accept the charges.

Across town it was early morning when the phone rang in the Granger household. Her mother and father where getting ready for work when the phone rang. She picked up the receiver and heard the recorded voice say, "Collect Call from Harriett Potter. Will you accept the charges?"

Shocked into full wakefulness she nearly screamed down the house as she said, "Yes, yes I will!"

Harriett's voice was on the line she sounded tired as she said, "Hermione, it's me Harry. Sorry I haven't been able to call you this year and I guess you didn't get my letters."

Hermione shook her head and said, "I tried calling you too, but it was always busy or your Aunt would answer. I sent letters did you get them Harry? I've missed you. Are you okay?"

Harriett's tired voice replied to her rambled rant, "Whoa Hermione slow down. I'm all right I guess. I just need a place to stay until school starts. Do you think you can help me out?"

Hermione squealed with glee as she realized her friend hadn't been angry with her and apparently there had just been some communications mix up. She said, "Don't go anywhere. I'll ask my parents before they go to work."

The bushy brown haired girl then set down the hall and ran to find her mother. "Mom, would it be okay if Harry stayed here until school started up again?"

Her mother, who was just finishing her makeup in the bathroom said, "Well as long as her guardians are okay with it and check with your father too."

Hermione hugged her mother and rushed to find her father, who was drinking coffee and reading the paper. "Dad, can Harry come stay for a week or so. Just until school starts? Pleaaase?"

The man looked at his twelve, nearly thirteen year old daughter and smiled. "See I told you it would work out fine with your friend. I knew she wouldn't stay mad at whatever it was for a whole summer."

Hermione rolled her eyes and said, "It was some sort of communication mix up. Can she come?"

He nodded and said, "All right but you two had best stay out of trouble while your mother and I are working. We trust you here by yourself during the day and I don't want Harry being a bad influence on you."

"Daaaad!" Hermione groaned, "Harry's the last girl to cause trouble for no reason."

He ruffled her bushy hair and said, "All right go on tell your friend the news."

Hermione dashed back to the phone and said, "Harry? Are you there? Harriett?"

The phone was silent until she said, "Harriett Jane potter. You'd better not have hung up on me."

The other side clattered a bit as if someone had dropped it and then Harriett's voice was on, "Sorry, Hermione I kinda fell asleep there. What did your parents say?"

Hermione beamed at her phone and nearly shouted with glee, "You can come!" After that she began giving explicitly detailed directions on how to get to her house using the underground.

A few hours later Harriett was there and the two girls were hugging. They had been planning to sit down on a couch in the sitting room to talk about all the details, but as soon as Harriett flopped down she was asleep.

The next day Harriett filled Hermione in on the details of Dobby's behavior. The bushy haired girl listened and said, "Well. I don't have anything about house elves in my books here, so I really don't know if that's normal behavior for them or not."

The green eyed girl nodded and said, "Its right annoying is what it is. He took all my mail and stopped the phone from working. Still he helped me out when Dudders attacked me the other night and let me come here, but not Hogwarts."

"I think we should tell the Headmaster."

"I think you're right Hermione. I'll send a letter to him as soon as I cany."

Soon enough the letter was written and on its way. In the meantime the two girls caught up on the summer which had been exciting for Hermione and less so for Harriett. Afterwards they looked through a number of books and did some more chatting until Harriett brought up the letter.

The bushy brown haired girl looked at her and said, "Wait, so you received a letter after Stupefying Dobby with your wand, but never once when levitating things while making food, for that slow transfiguration you can do, or the Alohamora with your finger."

"Well the Alohamora really knocked it out of me" Harriett nodded

Hermione continued, "All right so obviously they can trace the magic from young students' wands somehow, but not the magic itself and not when we don't use wands. I spent some time in the library last year looking up wandless magic, but most books said it was minor or meaningless."

"I don't know Hermione I think levitating stuff around to do cooking and cleaning is somewhat useful."

The green eyed girl looked to her and Hermione nodded, "Sure I do too and you can slowly transfigure things, but maybe Wizards don't see it that way. It makes sense that if it can be done with a wand better and faster then they wouldn't bother and so that's what they teach and now no one but the two of us can use it well."

Harriett thought about it and said, "That makes sense. Still, I wonder how they remove the detections on our wands?"

"Harriett!" Hermione gasped.

The other girl shrugged and said, "I know it's against rules to use magic away from school, but it would be useful to practice."

Hermione then looked torn between gaining more knowledge and practice and breaking the rules until she finally said, "Well, whatever charm they use it's certainly powerful and there's nothing about it in my books here."

She folded her arms over her chest with a humph and Harriett smiled at her saying, "Okay good point, but that won't keep me from researching it when we get to school and I might need some help on that too."

"Oh, no. You're not pulling me into breaking rules with you." Hermione said, but a small glint in her eyes suggested that researching the spell that traced magic from their wands would indeed be a project that Hermione could become easily involved with.

-Chapter 5-

He smiled inwardly as Harriett enjoyed herself. The large Department store in the muggle world made him feel strange. It should be pathetic and unworthy and yet it was immense and somewhat grand. Harriett obviously enjoyed it and his own feelings about the two worlds were becoming more confused and mixed up. He shook himself mentally and determined yet again that all he really needed to know was that anyone who tried to hurt Harriett had to die. That and she must become the leader of the Wizarding world. She would be his legacy.

Hermione looked at her friend apparently snoozing in the book department and said, "Are you all right?"

The other girl nodded and said, "Just enjoying the day here at Harrods's. Sitting in the book section and imagining that I could own every book." She sighed happily and then added. "Everything is….well…I guess I never saw all this either. It's not as hugely amazing and magical as the Wizarding world and yet…All I knew was my house, not so much all this…It has its own magic too."

Hermione nodded and said, "I guess in a way you're something of a stranger to both worlds."

Harriett nodded and then Mr. and Mrs. Granger came into the area. The elder woman said, "We thought you two might be here. Pick just one book and let's be going. We still need to have some dinner and catch _Les Miserables_."

The rest of the day became the grandest day in Harriett's life. After the play Harriett was treated to a small celebration lunch and cake. She had dug into the confection with gusto and then when Hermione had handed her a small wrapped gift she had squealed with pure delight. "But, my birthday was in the beginning of the summer!"

Hermione shrugged and said, "Well you'll just have to get something for me on my birthday too."

Harriett nodded enthusiastically and opened it to find a Beginners guide to Arithmancy and flung her arms around the other girl giving her an enthusiastic hug. After that she received a small gift certificate to Harrods's from the Granger parents and she delicately tried to return the certificate. But, the two adults demurred lightly and reminder her that she had given the Grangers any number of nice meals when she had stayed over during the winter break and seemed to think it was a shame she wasn't allowed out more.

Harriett didn't go into the full details of her near literal slavery to the Durselys and simply accepted the two adult Grangers demurral and then thanked them again.

By the time the group arrived at the Granger household it was quite late, but even so the form of Albus Dumbledore was quite unmistakable. The headmaster greeted them as they came up and was invited in for a late tea.

Soon enough he was standing in the Grangers living room and saying, "Well I received your Owl and must say that this is a serious business. House elves are not supposed to enter other Wizard's houses without permission, but in this case because Harriett was under age there seems to be an allowance."

A response formed, but he continued on saying, "In any case I must thank you heartily Mr. and Mrs. Granger for taking Harriett in, but she will have to spend the rest of her vacation in a Wizarding home."

"Just a moment sir." Hermione's father interjected, "Are you telling me that these elves can simply come into my home and disrupt our mail and such without permission?"

"Normally the statute of secrecy covers house elves interacting with muggles, but it would not apply for direct family members of Witches and Wizards. That is why I believe Harriett will be better off with a Wizarding family for these last two weeks before school starts up."

Hermione put an arm on Harriett's shoulder somewhat possessively, "But, she just got here sir. There must be some way that these house elves can be prevented from coming in…"

"Ah unfortunately not, it seems that Wizarding law was a bit short sighted in this instance, but you can be assured that I will discuss it with other members of the Wizengamot."

Hermione's father cleared his throat and said, "I don't see why she must leave us. The girls simply need their school lists and my wife and I can drive them to the station when school starts. Any mail and such can be solved by Harry saying that she will not be able to receive mail until the school year starts."

His wife added, "As for our phone Bertie and I will be at work most of the day and it's really just a nuisance when we are home anyway."

Dumbledore nodded with perhaps a bit less twinkle in his eye and said, "Very well, it seems Harriet is among friends and will be safe here. I will have someone personally bring the booklists and escort you to Diagon Alley."

He then stepped over to Harriett and ruffled her hair in a grandfatherly fashion, "I would not worry about the safety of Hogwarts Harry. It is the safest place in all of magical Britain. Now, I must be off. Thank you all for your time."

He stepped out the door and apparated away. Harriett looked to Hermione's parents and said, "Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Granger that was very nice of you."

The eldest female Granger smiled and said, "You can call me Jane and my husband Bertie we don't mind. Besides you're a good friend of Hermione's and you deserve to have some time together away from the hustle of school work, tests and such. You should have time to just be two young ladies."

Bertie nodded and said, "Besides, you'll be in that Wizarding world in no time. You should have a chance to enjoy life with us Muggles." He grinned and then added, "Part of which includes a bed time for certain young ladies."

With that the two young girls headed off to bed leaving the two Grangers to discuss things between themselves.

-Chapter 6-

A short period of time later found harry and Hermione with booklists and a severe looking professor McGonagall to escort them to Diagon Alley. The first stop on their journey was a crowded bookshop where they saw the famous author Gilderoy Lockhart signing books. Hermione stood in line with a book to be signed while Harriett simply went to check out with her purchases. She passed the signing table on the way to the register and the Author of a number of her books noticed her and stood up. "Ahh Harriett Potter, I see you too came to see me. Well come on over and I'll sign your books."

She looked at him warily as he gestured for her to come closer and she reluctantly came forward as a number of other girls gave her nasty looks. Soon enough she was close to Lockhart and the blond haired man took her hand then bowed over it. She felt slightly ill at the touch and said, "I haven't quite purchased a book yet, so it might be inappropriate if you sign one."

He smiled a large smile and pulled out a copy of one of his books on a nearby shelf. "Well then here you are a copy of my newest novel Magical Me and I'll throw in all of my books free to you Miss. Potter!"

Suddenly the crowd was watching and cameras were focused on them as Lockhart gave a shining smile and theatrically opened his newest Novel. He signed it with a flourish saying, "Now you can enjoy all my works, this entire Novel and my signature at the same time."

He shoved the books in her hand, put a hand on her shoulder and smiled for another picture with her. The he said, "The rest of the Hogwarts Students will also get a prize because I myself will be the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher this year!"

More cameras went off and Harriett literally had to drag herself away from the man. Once she had extricated herself from the crowd and Lockhart she stalked over to the register where she purchased the rest of the books required for the year.

Done with that task she slowly made her way out of the store through the crowd only to run into a confrontation between Lucious Malfoy and Arthur Weasley. The two were almost brawling in the store and had to be pulled apart by Aurors.

By the time everything was settled down and the store cleared out McGonagall's patience was utterly worn thin and she rushed the two said, "Did you have to pose with him Harriett?"

The green eyed young girl shrugged and said, "I don't know he gave me shivers, so if I could have done so I might have punched him in the eye, but since it was public I felt I'd best just roll with it and try and extricate myself as quickly as possible."

Minerva and Hermione gasped slightly and both said, "Harriett Potter you wouldn't!"

Harriett shook her head and chuckled saying, "No I guess not. But it sure makes getting a simple picture taken seem a lot less important."

McGonagall sighed and said, "I do suppose you're right

With that they departed the alley and McGonagall side along apparated them back to the Grangers house. Once there Hermione was eager to see the book signed by Lockhart and Harriett was happy to simply hand it to her saying, "Keep it I'd rather not read anything written by that man. He felt slimy somehow."

Hermione looked at her and said, "Harry he's simply dreamy. The smile and that hair it's like…."

"A girl" Harriett broke in, "That's what it is. He must spend more time on it than the Patil twins do."

Hermione growled and then said, "Well you'll understand some day I suppose Harry."

The green eyed girl shrugged and said, "Well if it makes me all silly for some blonde haired ponce I hope I never understand."

"Oh take that back. Gilderoy Lockhart isn't some ponce. Just look at these books and his adventures. He's a powerful wizard and a hero."

By now Hermione was really angry and Harriett placated her friend by saying, "All right I'll read through the books, but I still say that raving ego maniac couldn't have possibly spent any time at all with a Yeti no matter what the book title says."

-Chapter 7 -

The last few days of summer were over and the two girls had spent most of them studying for their next school year. The argument about Lockhart had been forgotten in details of Arithmancy and Ancient runes. Even so there was a bit of teasing from Harriett on the car ride to the train station as Mr. Granger said, "So are you girl's looking forward to the new school year?"

"Oh yes. Hermione more than me of course since the Oh so gorgeous Gilderoy Lockhart will be there." Her voice became higher and more falsetto, "Oh professor I must learn more, please let me study with you _alone_"

Hermione blushed and smacked Harriett's arm and said, "Harry!"

Meanwhile the two adult Grangers chuckled realizing that it was a harmless crush without any real merit and that the two girls were simply behaving like two young friends. All in all it was a happy moment for them as before this point Hermione hadn't had any true friends.

The car stopped at the train station and everyone departed Harriett carrying a happily purring Crookshanks over her shoulder as Hermione struggled with an extra bag of books, "Aww don't you worry pretty kitty. I'll take care of you."

Hermione glared at Harriett and said, "Just because some of us were able to slowly transfigure their bags doesn't mean my cat is yours Harry."

The green eyed girl grinned and stroked a cute kitty ear and said, "I don't know Hermione he seems to like it here. Isn't that right pretty kitty?"

The cat purred slightly louder and Hermione stared at him and said, "Traitor…"

Harry laughed at that and Hermione joined her. The two headed toward platform 9¾ just like that, but while Hermione went right through Harriett banged against it just as if it was a solid concrete post. She barely kept to her feet and stared at the post putting her fingers against it gently.

The cat on her shoulder was still happily purring as she felt the fine grains of concrete against her fingertips. She stepped back a moment and stared at the wall when suddenly Hermione appeared coming back from the other way sans bags. The bushy haired girl looked concerned as she said, "Harry, what happened to you? Aren't you coming with me?"

The green eyed girl said, "I'd like to but the entrance isn't cooperating. See?"

With that she put her fingers against it and touched the solid concrete again while Hermione easily put her hand right through. Her brow creased with though and she said, "All right let's go sit down somewhere and think this through."

The two girls went to a bench and sat. Meanwhile other students came and walked through the barrier with ease. They saw this and Hermione said, "Okay so it works for me and it works for other students, but it isn't working for you. Why?"

Harriett pondered the question and said, "Well tampering of some sort I would guess, but who would have the power and the motive to want just me to not get through that…."

Her eyes lit up and she said, "That elf Dobby! He kept trying to prevent me from coming to Hogwarts. I thought he was gone now, but this just screams of one of his schemes just like the phone and my mail."

Hermione nodded and said, "Okay so we have a suspect, but that doesn't get us through the barrier. Wait a minute…"

Harriett looked at her friend and said, "What? You have an idea?"

Hermione nodded and said, "Yes, it's simple I'll take your hand and try and walk through maybe it will allow us both at the same time."

The green eyed girl nodded and said, "Let's try that."

Her bushy haired friend nodded and then grabbed Crookshanks saying, "But I'm taking my kitty."

She put the cat over her shoulder and he simply rolled about and closed his eyes as if being manhandled was no big deal. The two girls then linked hands and walked towards the barrier Hermione easily passed through until the point where their hands were touching hit the barrier and then it began to feel as if she was pulling a great weight. Even so she pulled as hard as she could and slowly but surely her hand joined with Harriett's came through the barrier. Once the joined hands were through the weight she was pulling against became much lighter and she ended up pulling the other girl right on top of her and they both fell to the ground.

For Harriett the momentary contact had been truly exhilarating as her soft curves had touched the other girl's it had been as if everything was perfect and then a voice said, "Harry, would you mind getting off me now?"

Harriett blushed and stood up looking at Crookshanks who was on the ground next to them licking a paw and staring up at them as if to say, "Hey why did you remove my comfy bed on your shoulders?"

Hermione scooped the cat up and the two girl's headed into the Hogwarts Express finding a compartment and sitting once again with Neville Longbottom and Ron Weasley as well as a younger red haired girl who Ron grudgingly introduced as his sister Ginny and a Blonde haired girl who Ginny introduced as Luna Lovegood saying, "She lives near our house."

Harriett smiled and said, "Well it's always nice to meet new people. Where do you think you'll be sorted?"

Ginny quickly said, "Gryffindor of course!"

Luna smiled and said airily, "I suppose it will depend on whether or not the nifflers have gotten into the sorting hat this year."

Harriett looked at the girl and said, "Nifflers?"

The blonde nodded and said, "Oh yes they are small black creatures that pretend to be non-sentient, but are actually a powerful race from another galaxy."

Hermione looked at Luna and said, "I haven't read anything about nifflers are you sure they actually exist?"

The blonde smiled and said, "Oh they do, but the Rotfang Conspiracy in the Ministry of Magic wants to keep their existence a secret."

It was Harriett's turn to say, "Rotfang conspiracy?"

Luna nodded and said, "Oh yes the Quibbler did an expose on them a few weeks ago. You do have a subscription yes?"

The green eyed girl shook her head and said, "Well no, but I suppose I can get one so that I can keep abreast of the Rotfang conspiracy and the Nifflers."

Hermione whispered into her friend's ear and Harriett shrugged saying, "Maybe not, but I didn't believe in magic before either. There's no harm in listening at least to be nice."

Hermione frowned, but listened anyway. At the very least Luna's tales where somewhat funny.

-Chapter 8-

Harriett and Hermione were talking about Lockhart's book as they walked into class, "Well it just seems strange his attitude wasn't anything like the man who fought a hit wizard from Austria."

"Well Harry it may just be that he acts differently in a crowd."

The green eyed girl nodded and said, "Alright we'll test that after class or some other time. We'll see if we can get him alone and talk to him without the crowds."

Hermione nodded and the two girls sat down. Soon afterwards the blond haired man with a charming smile walked into the room and said, "Hello Class let me introduce you to your new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher... me!"

He then walked over to Harriett and said, "Good to see you in class Ms. Potter I'm sure you will learn a great deal, but first a quick quiz for everyone."

He handed out quizzes and sat back at his desk. Harriett stared at the sheet with incredulity. The book had spoken about a quiddich genius, an Austrian hit wizard defeater, and a number of other amazing tasks. Even so the test itself asked simple questions about Lockhart's favorite past time, his favorite color, and what type of jam he preferred on scones.

She hesitantly raised her hand and said, "Sir I think I may have gotten the wrong quiz."

He walked over and shook his head, "No, not at all and you've got the third question wrong."

He walked back up to his desk and she looked at the paper again. The questions hadn't changed and were still quite obviously useless. She briefly wondered if she should report this to Dumbledore, but an instinct squashed that thought. Instead she answered a few questions and turned in the quiz.

With that done Lockhart smiled and brought a cage out from his expanding trunk. There was a cloth over it and he said, "Now for a demonstration! Cornish pixies vicious and cruel creatures I will show you how to defeat them!"

He pulled the sheet off the cage and opened it. Pixies swarmed out and began attacking everyone in the room including Lockhart. A pair stole his wand and began zapping him with it and the class retreated into the hall. Harriett simply stunned any that came close to her and watched as Lockhart ran into his office saying, "Ms. Potter, Ms. Granger, Mr. Longbottom could you please clean up the mess."

She looked over to Hermione who was performing the same task and she shrugged. Her stunning spells became banishing hexes for additional practice and perhaps a bit of anger at a certain stupid professor. They were going along like that for a minute or two with Neville assisting by using his "Magical Me" book not unlike a Cricket bat by slamming it into the pixies. Soon enough and with the assistance of a few students who returned after running off all of the Pixies were either stunned or knocked unconscious.

With their task done Hermione looked at Harriett and said, "Never mind Harry about that test. You were quite right he is nothing like the person in the books."

Harriett patted her friend's shoulder and said, "Yes, I know. So we'll have to find out why that is yes?"

Hermione smiled as they walked out together with a new mystery to solve.

As they walked past one of the other students commented about Harriett being able to cast the bludgeoning hex. A few others caught the passing rumor and passed it along.

Even as they walked away with the rumors spreading he seethed inside. Here was another despicable waste of flesh who wanted to be near his personal project. He utterly despised Lockhart with a clear and abiding hatred. The man was no better than any of the others he had seen. Not content to use his Harriett's body for his personal pleasure the man was instead feeding off her fame and charm. Every time the pathetic excuse for a Wizard appeared near Harriett quickly found excuses to depart, even so he was making plans. He swore yet again that he would kill everyone who dared to stand in the way of his project and her eventual rule over the entire Wizarding world.

Even as he ranted Colin Creevy seemed to materialize out of nowhere just to take her picture. She sighed and looked at him saying, "That is the third time this week you have taken my picture Colin. Is there some reason you are doing this?"

The young boy swallowed and said, "Well you're Harriett Potter, the girl who lived. I mean you're famous and amazing."

She shook her head and said, "Colin…." She sighed trying to find words. If a few of them were strangled and slit throat perhaps she could be forgiven for malign influence.

In any case she finally found what she wanted to say, "Look it's nice that you are a fan and think I am a great heroine, but you have to stop following me around and taking pictures. If you need some I'll take a few for you tomorrow and after that I am asking you nicely to stop following me about to just take pictures okay?"

The young boy nodded and she continued on to the Gryffindor rooms. There she met up with Hermione and the two worked through the various Lockhart books and a number of old newspapers trying to determine if there was any evidence at all that would place him near anything described in his books

-Chapter 9-

It hadn't been good enough. Lilly had worn the outfit and even been wearing white, but it just hadn't been the same. Oh he used her, but the excitement was drawing away. Every time he was with her visions of Harriett swarmed through his mind and he grew more irritable and impatient with his toy.

That morning he had beaten her bloody before he came to the school and now he was sitting in his classroom waiting for the students to arrive. They piled into his room and him down his nose at them. He was determined that Harriett Potter would get a detention this year. All of last year he had tried desperately to get a rise out of her or her Mud blood friend Hermione, but he had not been able too. Visions of the young teenage girl whirled through his brain as everyone found their seats.

He stood and said, "Potter you and Miss Granger will find new partners this year. I am assigning you to be with Ronald Weasley and Hormone you shall be with Neville Longbottom. Since you are such advanced students I expect you to assist your partner and ensure they get every part of making the potion correct. Any failures on their part will result in a loss of ten points and any explosions or accidents will place you in detention with me."

He watched as the two followed his orders and then moved over to the board and said, "Today we will begin with a simple blood increasing potion. This is quite useful in cases where the patient has had severe injuries."

He lectured on about the potion and how to make it, then when finished he sat back at his desk and waited for the inevitable. Moments later there was indeed a small explosion from Harriett and Neville's cauldron. He smiled at his own preparations and changing of ingredients and then said, "Ahh Miss Potter that will be a detention for you tonight. Now clean it up and start again."

The rest of his potion classes passed in a haze and he was waiting for the girl at the end of the day. She arrived and walked in her young body just beginning to show signs of curves that when fully formed would surely make any man drool. But even now, even as she was he had to keep his mouth tightly closed. When she approached he said, "You will be scrubbing the cauldrons for one hour."

He handed her the brush and added, "No spells, no cleaning solution. Water and a brush is all we use to help avoid contamination."

It was, of course, a lie normally a simple scourgify spell would do, but he watched her work diligently at each cauldron and then set down a ceramic cup filled with his newly formulated mind slave potion. It had taken him most of the summer to perfect the formula and then it had taken him an entire month to brew. Many of the components were rare and hard to find, but he had succeeded. The proof was in the ceramic mug steaming away and smelling nearly the same as a cup of hot chocolate. He smiled at the steaming concoction and watched the young girl with his loins quivering in anticipation.

When she was done with her hour he called her over and said, "Your work was acceptable, have some hot chocolate and off to bed with you."

She nodded and took the cup in her hands, then suddenly she acted with surprise and jumped slightly dropping the cup on the floor shattering the cup and its contents everywhere as she said, "Did you hear that sir?"

His anger was at full throttle along with his desire and his hand touched his wand desperate to use the imperious curse, but he knew that Dumbledore would detect that spell. Somehow he managed to keep his temper under control and avoided cursing her with any spell, but his anger was at its height and so he screamed at her, "No, I didn't hear anything Potter. Now get OUT!"

She ran out with extreme speed and he simply stared at his potion wondering just how she had been surprised or if it had simply been a ruse perpetrated because she knew the contents of the potion. He shook his head in negation, she was a brilliant witch nearly the same as Lilly had been, but even had Lilly been here she would not have been able to tell.

Then he bent down and put a sample in a small tube and cleaned the rest saying softly to himself, "Well it never hurts to check."

She ran down the hallway wondering how the man could have possibly missed the loud threats of death and dismemberment. She wondered briefly if it had been some trick, but decided it could not have been because he had been so angry about his shattered cup.

She ran down a corridor and stepped on right on a cat's tail. The creature yowled and hissed and she darted to the side, but still heard footsteps coming and a voice, "Is that you Mrs. Norris. Have you found someone out of bounds then?"

She quickly moved down the hall and turned a few corners only to end up at a dead end. She panted as quietly as she could, but was sure Filch would find her and she doubted that the explanation that she was coming from detention would assist her in getting out of another.

That was when the Gryffindor ghost flowed through the wall. "A spot of trouble miss?"

She nodded and he said, "No worries Nearly Headless Nick will take care of it. You run along to the common room eh?"

She nodded again as he floated off making noise and gathering pursuit from Filch and his cat. When she got back to the common room she quickly went up to the girl's dorm and went to bed.

Minor Note: Thanks to all those who mentioned Hedwig Doesn't exist in this story.


	4. Book II: Chapters 10 through Epilogue

-Chapter 10-

It was morning when she told Hermione about the strange voice she had heard. "Snape didn't hear it though?"

She shrugged and said, "Yes, but he had been acting strange. He just sat and watched me while I was scrubbing. I know he hates me for some reason, but those eyes are just creepy."

"Hmm well he may be slightly hard of hearing or there could be some other explanation. We'll just have to examine it further if it happens again you must tell me."

"Of course I will Hermione who else would I tell?"

Hermione began dressing and said, "Neville I suppose he's our friend too." Hermione said amiably and then added, "Oh by the way while you were in detention I took more time to research Professor Lockhart. As before I couldn't find any papers or news articles relating to his adventures, but after some re-reading I noted that some dates in Year with the Yeti seem to overlap with Haggling with Hags."

While dressing herself Harriett sighed and said, "Sounds to me like he's been writing fiction and passing it off as fact."

"Well I thought of that, but the Vampire he mentions killing is dead according to the Bavarian officials and The Werewolf pack that was roaming Paris was destroyed some time ago. So, someone must have defeated them right?"

As she put on her last article of clothes Harriett frowned and said, "Well that's disturbing. Maybe we should check on his record here at Hogwarts. Surely some teachers might remember him and there's got to be a record of his OWL and NEWT scores if he took them right?"

The bush brown haired girl nodded and said, "Yes, we'll have to look into it when we have time."

The two girls went down to breakfast, but as they were in the hall they were approached by Nearly Headless Nick. The Gryffindor ghost smiled and said, "Well hello ladies would either of you lasses be interested in coming to my death day party?"

Harriett shrugged and said, "I guess so what about you Hermione?"

"I don't know harry sounds a bit creepy. Still I've never been to one so it will be a learning experience."

The green eyed girl agreed and added, "We should ask Neville and Luna to come as well. When will it be Sir Nick?"

The ghost smiled and tipped his head off kilter as he said, "Tonight after dinner."

With that the two girls were finally down the stairs and into breakfast where they ate their fill and headed off to classes. As Harriett walked out she spotted Luna and said, "Hermione we have Runes next period so I'll walk with Luna. Could you ask Neville while I ask her?"

The bushy haired girl nodded and left the other Gryffindor to what was a rather simple task. Her own task of convincing Neville on the other hand ended up being a tad more difficult, but not impossible.

-Chapter 11-

Luna was staring at all of the utterly disgusting punch bowl and pouring herself a cup. Harriett started at her and interjected, "You're not going to drink that are you?"

The blonde girl simply shrugged and downed the glass two moments later she spat it back out over the floor and said, "It has decidedly been poisoned by a Arcomantula"

Hermione rolled her eyes and added, "Why did you drink it then?"

Breathily the strange Ravenclaw said, "Well I didn't know until I sipped it and now I do. Always good to learn new things don't you think?"

Hermione blinked and looked at Harriett who was now giving the Blonde an eye and smiling, "Well truer wisdom I haven't heard today" and for the life of her Hermione couldn't seem to disagree with that assessment.

Meanwhile Neville had obviously had enough of an overweight lady ghost who seemed to want him to hug her. The trio extricated him and explained that he wasn't her grandson. Even so it was rather clear that as much as Nearly Headless Nick had asked them to come this was not a party for the living.

As some sort of headless hunt began all four children made their escape out into the halls. That was when Harriett put her arms out and stopped the group, "Do you hear that?"

The three others shook her head while she shivered. Yet again a voice was clamoring for blood and destruction and yet again no one could hear it. Still, these were her friends and so she said, "A voice in the walls it's angry and wants to kill someone"

She quickly followed after it and the others stayed right behind her, but they were too late. There in the middle of the hall was Mr. Filch frozen and dead below a red sign saying, "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Let all mud bloods, squibs, and blood traitors beware!"

Hermione stared at the scene and the red words and then screamed. Luna joined her as did Neville. It was Harriett who gritted her teeth and said, "Guys! Guys get a grip! The voice is gone now….it must have did this and left."

She hesitantly approached the red words, put a finger to them, and then sniffed the finger adding, "It's paint too."

By then the elderly voice of Headmaster Dumbledore added, "Indeed it is child. Simple paint now, why don't you tell me how you came to be here? Also it would be useful to know what you have seen and heard."

Harriett frowned at the man and nodded. Dumbledore smiled and said, "Come Harry we will talk in this office here while the others help Arabella with Mr. Filch here."

Indeed the nurse did need some help and began ordering the other three about as Harriett followed the aging man into what was apparently Lockhart's office and began answering his questions. The story she told was of leaving the death day party and finding the body. Not once did she end up mentioning that she had heard a voice.

-Chapter 12-

He sat at his desk staring at the small diary with a sneer on his features. One of the girls had complained about Moaning Myrtle again and he had gone in to see what the watery bint had been up to. Apparently it was a tantrum because someone had thrown this book at her…..he sneered at it again. Obviously it had been given to the student by one of the followers, "Riddle" he sneered at the book again spitting once on the cover and thinking about the Chamber of Secrets.

The entire school had been gossiping about the fabled Chamber of Secrets. The legendary Chamber that Slytherin built. He knew all about it and that No one but Voldemort, who was Slytherin's true heir, would be able to open the chamber. Voldemort who he realized was actually Tom Riddle…whose diary had been given out and most likely had been possessing some student. He stared at the book and realized that he didn't care that people were going to die. All that mattered to him was Harriett….Lilly's daughter and his new desire.

He smiled and looked at the diary again. T.M. Riddle it said and inside it was blank, but he knew after some days of study that it was a dark artifact. A Horcrux a truly ingenious little thing it was and how delicious that he held in his hands a piece of his former master's soul.

He smiled at the book and said, "How many did you make? What sort of fool were you really…..a half-blood!"

He spat at the book, "But ohh you gave me Lilly. Everything I ever desired. I want more and you will give it to me!"

Slowly he opened the book and dipped his quill into some ink. He wrote two words, "Hello Tom"

The ink swirled in the book and his tattoo suddenly came alive with pain. Writing appeared in the book, "You…I know you," and then it stopped and became a voice, "You are my servant…." but his Occulamancy shoved it out and it was writing again, "My servant. Set me free."

Snape looked at the book and smiled as he wrote, "No, not until you give me what I want."

"What do you want?" Anger radiated from the Horcrux, but it could do nothing in this form.

He wrote with lust filled mind scratching at the paper, "I want Harriett Potter. I want her to be mine."

Soothingly the words sketched onto the page, "Yes, I can give her to you. Drop me into her bag and I will take her and deliver her to you…"

Snape smiled and wrote two words, "very well" and shut the book. As he did so he frowned at his tattoo. If there were more Horcruxes. If there was some way his former master could return he wanted none of it. He would have to find a way to remove his tattoo and once he had the girl he would have to find a way to destroy every soul shard Voldemort had ever created.

He looked at the book and thought about it some more. Maybe Lilly and Harriett wouldn't be enough. He should have followers. He should have many slaves and the Wizarding world should bow to him….

He smiled and departed his office. Taking his floo home and arriving to find the lovely Miss Potter cleaning his mantle in her sexy maid outfit. He smiled and said, "Come here Lilly. I'm home your master is home. Come and give me everything I desire!"

She moved to him her body draping over him and giving him soft kisses. His orders were magical and she had to obey them. She slipped off her clothes and allowed him everything he wanted even as she mentally screamed. She begged in her mind for someone, anyone to save her from her fate….

-Chapter 13-

He frowned from his place in her mind she was discussing the chamber again and he knew that something about it drew him like a moth to a flame. Every utterance of the word made him want power each time they spoke of it he could see his Harriett garbed in a glowing robe she would be beautiful and all would love her and despair…

His thoughts fluttered as the Granger girl said, "Malfoy really Ronald can you Imagine Draco Malfoy actually being able to find his own shoes let alone some secret chamber."

The boy Neville chimed in, "Yeah Ron he's a ponce, but it's got to be someone smarter than him."

His young charge spoke up saying, "I'm voting for Lockhart he was a student here and a Slytherin so he could know about secret rooms and passages we don't. Plus, he's written tons of books and all of them feature him slaying some creature or other and saving the day. Now he's here and a secret chamber has been opened. He petrifies a few people and then diligently searches to find the mystical chamber and comes up from whatever place he found saying he killed whichever beast he likes saving all of Hogwarts in the process…"

The two boys and one girl in the room looked over to the green eyed girl and it was Ron who said, "Harry that's brilliant. I mean just bloody brilliant, I always knew that bloke couldn't be trusted."

Hermione stared at him and said, "If you're right Lockhart could be the one who Petrified Colin Creevy. He could be out there right now planning more attacks," she paused a moment and looked at her friend, "but wait what about that voice Harry?"

The green eyed girl shrugged, "Distraction maybe?"

Neville piped in with, "I don't know, maybe there's more to it? You were the only one that heard it."

The bushy haired girl nodded and added, "He's right Harry. Remember how Lockhart wanted to have his picture taken with you? Maybe he's sending you the messages to bring you closer to the scenes or even to attack you? I think we should tell the headmaster."

The green eyed girl sighed, every instinct was telling her not to trust Dumbledore, but Hermione was right. The head of the school needed to know and maybe McGonagall too so she nodded and said, "After potions then. We'll head up and tell him."

The four students grabbed their bags and headed off to the potions classroom. There Snape was strangely distracted and less harsh on the class even if he did come by Harriett's spot a few times just to check on Neville's progress.

None of them noticed that Snape dropped a certain dark artifact in Harriett's bag and they all went off towards the headmaster's office. There they waited until Albus Dumbledore ushered them in, "Well come in children, come in."

Harriett began saying, "Sir, we have reason to believe that Professor Lockhart may be a fraud. Hermione and I have been studying his books and comparing them to news stories and a few of the events in the books occurred at nearly the same time and miles apart. He just couldn't have done them all…"

The old man frowned slightly, "Well that is a big accusation Miss Potter I think there should be some more evidence to back it don't you?"

Hermione chipped in saying, "Bu, sir he wasn't able to stop those Pixies at all. Plus he was here at school when the Chamber was first supposedly opened. He wasn't accused or anything, but maybe he knows how to get in?"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and he smiled, "Well it certainly is an interesting theory, but I don't have anything to go on. Surely you must understand that I can't ruin a man's career without evidence?"

The four were ushered out of the office and walked off with downtrodden expressions. Ron sighed and said, "I'm going to go ask Seams to join me in a game of wizard's chess. Anyone else interested?"

The other three shook their heads and parted ways. Soon enough they ran into Luna who was staring out a window. The blonde girl looked at them and said, "Hello, did you know there is a significant lack of chickens here. Someone went and killed them all near Hagrid's hut. It could have been a Pukeychew don't you think?"

Hermione looked at her and stated, "A small yellow electric rodent. I think not."

She nodded her head and agreed, "You're right of course. It was most likely a person. But who would do that and why? Do you think it has anything to do with the Chamber of Secrets?"

Harriett pondered a moment and said, "I'm not sure. Why don't we compare information and see if we can round out my Hypothesis?"

The group sat with Luna near the window and compared notes. Even so, not much else was gained other than a clear need to attempt to find out what Lockhart was up to and Harriett had the perfect way to find out. The group would take turns outside his quarters with the invisibility cloak and try to catch him in the act.

-Chapter 14-

Sadly for the four Lockhart had done nothing in his rooms the last few nights. Harriett sat looking through her bag as she pondered the problem and pulled out a strange book. She stared at it a moment and said, "Now where did this come from?"

He stared at it and felt a malevolent force seeping from the book. It was trying to extinguish her light it wanted to kill Harriett and he had to stop it. Without a thought he pinged her danger sense and she responded throwing it out a window. Then she frowned and sat near a mirror speaking softly, "I know you're there shadow….why was the book so dangerous?"

He said nothing and slipped away, he couldn't talk to her. He didn't want her to be tainted anymore than she had been and his thoughts could do her harm. No…best to slink away and leave her wondering.

She frowned again and sighed, "What are you Shadow? How have you been helping me and why won't you talk to me?"

She approached the window and looked out. On the ground where the book ought to have landed was empty space. She sighed and wondered if it had anything at all to do with Lockhart and the Chamber of secrets. Then she yawned and went to sleep.

She woke and went to classes only to see a signup sheet for a dueling club. She quirked her head and noted that Lockhart was arranging it and so immediately put her name on the sheet to join. A few days after that the club was meeting in a small room there Lockhart began instructing the students in ways and methods of dueling while an angry Snape looked on.

The black haired man kept staring at Harriett as if he expected her to change or do something. He even ignored Lockhart's request that he come up and set an example. The blonde man had to walk over to Snape and nudge him cheerfully, "Come on Snape your head is in the clouds. Let's just give the kids an example of how it is done."

"Very well" He sounded bored and stepped up to the dueling platform. Lockhart stepped up and gave a jaunty bow and Snape just rolled his eyes, then gave a flick of his wand almost lazily stating, "Expelliarmus!"

Lockhart was blown off the platform and onto his back. He got up with a smile and said, "There you have it just like I said the cushioning charms work perfectly. Thank you professor for showing us how they work now let's get everyone paired up. Remember just use the Expelliarmus spell okay?"

Children nodded and were split off into pairs. Harriett stared at her opponent across from her and nearly groaned. "Well if it isn't the half-blood muggle loving whore. I'm going to teach you a lesson Potter."

She was tempted very tempted to just hit him with a stunner, bludgeoner, or something, but decided against it. They both bowed and she moved quickly and expertly lifting her wand and casting the Expelliarmus spell without even realizing she had sub-vocalized it. Malfoy went down, but he didn't stay that way, instead he moved to his wand grabbed it and shouted, "Serpent Sortia"

A large cobra slithered from his wand and towards the green eyed girl. She rolled her eyes looked at it and simply said, "Go away."

The snake did as bid and slithered off while everyone in class stared at the scene. Then there was chaos as everyone started talking about Heir of Slytherin and the Chamber of secrets. It was Snape who took her hand and ushered her out of the classroom and to his office.

She was sitting across from him and he looked at her in that same creepy way as if he was trying to see through her robes and said, "Did it work? Have you done it?"

She shook her head, "No, I'm not the Heir and I didn't open the chamber. I swear professor. I know he seems like an idiot but I think Lockhart might have done it. He was here at the time…" her words came out quickly as she defender herself, "I think he's been using a voice to trick me into coming to the scene of the crime and he must have known what happened today would happen. He's trying to ratchet up his reputation and sell a book or something"

Snape stared at her realizing that she was obviously not his to order or even close to being taken by Voldemort at all yet. He frowned and spoke slowly, "Did you by chance receive a book from him?"

Her eyes lit up, "I did, but I threw it out a window. I thought it might be dangerous. Then when I realized what I had done I looked for it, but never found it. You believe me don't you Professor?"

He cooed, "Oh yess I believe you Miss Potter. I'll be sure to bring your concerns up to the headmaster and keep an eye on Lockhart. Unfortunately I can't do much about the rumors. You are dismissed."

She nodded and stood at his dismissal, "Thank you sir."

He watched her leave his eyes on her ankles and slipping over her form. Then bit off a curse as she shut the door. Riddle had re-possessed the original vessel and he was using them for his own purposes. His former master had broken his promise and plotting something that had no connection to Snape. The black haired man slammed his fist on his desk with anger pretty sure it wasn't the dunderheaded Lockhart. He would have to attempt to find them and get the book back once again. This time he thought maybe instead of using it he would simply steal a portion of its power….he smiled…..a new plan for his new reign as the up and coming dark lord.

-Chapter 15-

Harriett sat with Luna and Hermione going through books on spells and abilities for petrification that Lockhart might be using. The blonde hair girl sighed and said, "Maybe he's using a cockatrice?"

Hermione looked at her and at the book she was reading, "A cockatrice let me see that?"

Luna handed it over and said, "Well yes as he obviously couldn't get an Onyx or a Ghastly, so I though cockatrice and it would explain the dead chickens."

Hermione scanned the book and said, "No he'd need the chicken alive….but wait there's another entry under chickens look."

She held out the book and showed the other two girls the picture of a small basilisk. "See it says here that they hate chickens and that the crow of a cock can apparently kill them. What if he has a small one of these?"

Harriett stared at it and said, "Well it's a snake like creature so maybe that's what I'm hearing. But, it says people looking at its gaze die….no wait I see here secondary view of the creature petrifies the victim."

Hermione smiled and said, "Yes and there's a recipe for the cure. Thank you very much Luna!"

The blonde smiled and said, "Of course anytime. Maybe you can help me search for a Shaymin sometime?"

Hermione nodded and said, "Anything you like after this. All we need to do is get a rooster, find the secret chamber and kill a basilisk….."

She petered off and Harriett chuckled, "Well we certainly have our work cut out for us. I suggest first thing we should do is acquire a Rooster."

The other two girls nodded and the decision to get a rooster was made. With that the three stepped out of the library and began walking down the corridor. That was when Harriett heard the voice in the walls coming closer towards them with anger and rage. "Run!"

They ran down the halls away from the voice. Harriett was in the lead trying her best to keep away from the creature and the two other girls right at her heels. There had been a Quiddich match going on which is what allowed the girls free access to the library and was keeping the halls rather empty. Unfortunately, the empty halls meant that no professors were around to assist them in their headlong flight.

Even so they ran quickly and with young Miss Potter's aid all three were able to make it to the relative safety of the Gryffindor dorms. As they sat panting Hermione looked to the other girls and said, "Maybe now we could try the headmaster again?"

"No evidence….he won't believe us" Harriett sighed and shook her head. Once again they were on their own and they had to make a plan to stop a powerful creature they weren't prepared for. She shook her head and frowned. She was tired of it already. Last year it had been Voldemort and this year it was Lockhart. She was going to train even harder, find out everything she could and if anything else happened she would be ready for it.

-Chapter 16-

Not everyone was as lucky as the three girls. Coming back from the Quiddich game Ron and Seamus were petrified and school security was increased. Even so Luna, Hermione and Harriett were able to sneak out to Hagrid's hut that night.

As they approached Luna seemed fascinated by the hut itself and little fireflies glowing at the outside lamp. The blonde smiled at them and said, "Ohh he must take good care of creatures he has Pixies"

Harriett smiled at the girl and then looked close. The little glowing bugs weren't bugs. They were actually little winged women flitting about the light. She pointed it out to Hermione and said, "Sometimes she's right, does that mean she might be right about the other things?"

Hermione looked back into her green eyes and replied, "If she is correct then she has made astounding leaps of logic. I cannot even fathom them…." She shook her head and added, "I'm not sure if I hope she has or if I hope you're wrong."

Harriett knocked at the door and said, "I know the feeling."

Luna just smiled at the pixies and giggled as they danced around in her hair. The door opened and Hagrid appeared staring down, "Aye don'tcha knows it's late. People've been hurt ye shoulna be out this late girls."

"I know Hagrid, but you'll believe us and you can get a Rooster. We know what creature's been attacking everyone and we know it's a Basilisk. We just don't know where to find it or how to get a rooster."

Hagrid sighed and stepped into his house inviting them in with a, "Well come on in I'll git ye some hot chocolate."

The three came inside and sat down. Going over their tale while Hagrid poured the hot chocolate. He sighed, "Jest like las time poor Myrtle died she did and it weren't Aragog's fault at all…."

"You were there?" He looked at her and replied, "Aye Hermione I were. Lost me schoolin and me wand, but Dumbledore kept me on as keeper of the grounds an keys. Right good man he is."

Green eyes flashed open and she stared at him about to blurt out an important idea she shoved it back and just smiled at him. "That's too bad Hagrid. Do you think you can get a Rooster for us?"

He shook his head, "I din know I think mebe I should tell Dumbledore. He'll know what to do he will. You jes let me an him deal with this wee Basilisk okay?"

Harriett smiled and nodded, "All right Hagrid we'll let you do that. Come on ladies we tried our best."

She took the other girls' hands and departed the Hut. Hagrid insisted on escorting them back to the inside of the school and then Harriett pulled them all into a closet and under her invisibility cloak. "I know where it's coming from."

"Where?" Hermione queried and the green eyed girl smirked a bit replying, "Think about it. Myrtle's bathroom I hear it behind the walls. What's usually behind the walls Hermione?"

"Pipes…" Her eyes widened, "Ohh, but that would mean the entrance has to be near the Bathroom."

Luna smiled dreamily and said, "Well we will certainly have to plan. I'll make sure I have rope and matches. We'll return to the bathroom tomorrow and hunt for our basilisk."

With that the Blonde departed and walked down the corridor. Her other two friends shook their heads and Harriett said, "Do we want to have Neville help too? I know he would."

Even as she was saying that the decision was being taken out of her hands. Young Neville Longbottom was walking about the halls looking for his friends when the urge had hit him. He stopped into the boys' room and was just washing his hand when the door opened. He looked up and it was the last sight he saw for quite some time.

By the time breakfast arrived Neville's body was found and Hagrid was being taken away to Azkaban. Events were on a fast move as Dumbledore was relieved of his position at the very same time. The three girls watched from their table eating and making plans.

Harriett looked at the other two, "Okay so Invisibility cloak to avoid the gaze if necessary, but we'll need something better if we want to navigate. Lune has a rope and matches what do you have Hermione?"

The bushy haired girl whispered, "Transfiguration work from fifth year it makes a frog from a fig, but I think we can modify the spell. We'll have to practice it and see if any of us can make it happen."

"Right…and that leaves us with Lockhart." She stared at the blonde haired man and wondered how the stupid ponce did it. Was it all an act some massive Slytherin cover up or were they missing something else. Something much more important.

Of course fate chose that moment to have a small elf pop up and begin to badger her. "Great harry potter you must see dangerous for you here. It is very dangerous."

She stared at the elf and said, "Dobby where have you been and what have you been doing?"

"Trying to get you to leave. Keep you safe yes…Dobby keep you safe. Shrink all clothes one size, put holes in socks…." He listed out hundreds of tiny annoyances that she had just mostly ignored so far. But bow she desperately wanted to throttle the creature. Still it was just annoyances maybe she could forgive him, really it wasn't as if he had tried to kill her. Now that would be entirely unforgivable.

Still he was here and she realized he could be useful if she played her cards right, "Dobby….listen to me. I'm going to leave by a super special secret route okay. But to get through that route I'm going to need a rooster. Can you get me a rooster and meet me in near the second floor girls' bathrooms as soon as possible okay?"

Dobby nodded, "Yes you flee. Dobby will help you go…Dobby will help"

With that he was gone in a flash and Harriet smiled at her companions, "and one rooster means we'll have this thing dead before it even realizes it."

Hermione and Luna just stared at the girl's cunning. It was a thing of pure genius and yet it was not bad or even too overly manipulative. It got the job done and even Dobby would be happy that he helped keep Harriett safe. The green eyed girl smiled and the two other girls just stared a few more moments until Hermione said, "So do we still want to practice the transfiguration?"

Simply Harriett spoke, "Yes"

Luna agreed and the three girls went to go practice. It was Hermione who said, "Do you think we should get Professor McGonagall?"

As Hermione spoke Luna produced a very small rooster which began to crow. Harriett smiled and said, "All right we'll go tell her. But we'll also be ready okay?"

Both girls nodded and headed out to find the Transfiguration professor. They were stopped in the halls when they saw the Sign written in blood and Ron frozen over a book bag. The words read, "Her body will lie in the chamber forever!"

She looked at her friends and spat out, "Get McGonagall and meet me at the bathroom" It was the final straw, instead of heading to the Chamber the green eyed girl stalked towards Lockhart's office. There she found him packing his bags. She stared at the scene wondering just what she had missed. Shouldn't he be preparing to go to the Chamber to "free" the girl? Shouldn't he be making ready to play the hero in a situation he had created yet again?

She stared at him and said, "What are you doing?"

He jumped up in fright, "Ahh Miss Potter. Dreadful story. Ghouls taking over in Amsterdam must run and go help out."

"What about your plans here? What about Ginny Weasley?"

He looked back and gave her a smile, "Oh yes, well best go save her right. Come on Lass lets' run and save the day quick!"

He gestured to the door and opened it for her as if to let her leave first she stared at him and pulled out her wand, "You first!"

He laughed lightly, "Ah yes, of course. I'll rush in and save the day…"

She shook her head, "No, you're going to jail for bringing a Basilisk here, for petrifying students and falsely proclaiming your own heroism in this tragedy that you created! Drop your wand and let's go!"

"Huh?" He looked back at her and dropped his wand as she jabbed her own into his back, "No wait you see you have it all wrong. I mean yes I'm a fraud, but I didn't do any of this. I just take people's memories and make them into books. I thought a semester here would be a breeze and good padding on the old resume you know."

Her eyes bored into his back and her wand jabbed him, "You're telling the truth aren't you?"

He nodded and said, "So you can just let me go now. I'll be off and…"

"No" Her reply was a soft growl, "You're coming with me to face the danger that you always run away from. You're coming with me to see it all first hand. Now let's go"

She trooped him down to the bathroom where she met up with Luna and Hermione. "No McGonagall?"

The two shook their heads, "She's dealing with ministry officials. Why did you bring him?"

She jabbed his back and said, "He's not responsible at all Hermione. He's just a coward who steals people's memories. I was thinking we could use his help show him what it's like to face danger."

She was mad boiling with a pure heated rage at the man. He was reveling in the mixture of her darkness and light. Her terrible goodness weighed against her desire for revenge. He wondered how she would turn would she go dark or would she stay bright and painful. Luna touched her hand and said, "Harry we don't need him."

She pondered it for a moment before making her decision, and then she nodded and wordlessly cast a simple stunner into the man's back, then stepped through the door and into the restroom. "Right let's do this thing. Are you here dobby?"

A little voice said, "I'm here Harriett I have Rooster and you will go yes?"

Harriett nodded and looked about the room finding a single serpent looking tap she hissed softly, "Open"

Mechanisms creaked and groaned and the way opened before them. Harriett looked to the small elf with a Rooster in his hands and said, "See I'm going out that way. May I please have the rooster?"

Dobby nodded and handed her the rather annoyed bird. She rasped it in her hands as it clucked and carried on. She then looked into a deep hole with a disgusting looking muddy sort of pipe that led down in a sort of slide. "So, Luna about that rope."

The blonde nodded and tied it to one of the sinks, then dropped it into the deep hole. She followed behind it slowly climbing down. Harriett and Hermione weren't far behind.

-Chapter 17-

The two brunettes and one blonde finished climbing down the rope and walked along a darkened tunnel. In the distance they saw a light and rushed forward. Sure enough it was Ginny Weasley lying unconscious on the floor. Hermione began examining the girl while Harriett looked about the room. As she searched a shimmering form of a young boy walked over. He was a few years older than themselves, perhaps seventeen. He was well dressed and his voice sounded almost pleasant as he said, "Harriett Potter…the girl who lived. Unbelievable that someone like me could possibly have been defeated by the likes of you."

Luna, who was helping Hermione said, "Harry I believe this diary here is a dark artifact."

"Oh my the Loony little blood traitor figured it out. You've lost little girls and I will rise again after killing you all." The spectral form turned and shouted in parseltounge, "Speak to me Slytherin Greatest of the Hogwarts Four!"

Stone moved and shifted and Harriett could hear the voice, "What is your desire my master?"

The form gestured and said, "Kill these tarts!"

"Shut your eyes guys!" She shouted and pulled the rooster Dobby had given her out from behind her back. The sounds of some monstrous form were nearly at them, but the rooster refused to sing. Harriett grimaced and after a poke or two convinced it to crow.

The sound echoed throughout the chamber and was then followed by a humongous crash as the giant Basilisk died. The sound of crashing echoed as well for a few moments until the great chamber was finally silent. Green eyes opened and Harriett looked about. The Basilisk lay dead and her friends were safe. Still, young Ginny was lying comatose and the teenage boy was staring at her with murderous rage.

She glanced at the diary nearby and gave him a smile, "So what does the T.M. Stand for Mr. Riddle?"

He stared at her and pulled out a wand glowing letters of fire appeared in the Air. "Tom Marvolo Riddle" even as he spoke the words reformed to read, "I Am Voldemort"

He smiled at her again and said, "Now I think I'll kill you…Avadakedavra!"

She dodged and said, "The book…you said it's dark right Luna? You two destroy it I'll keep him busy!"

She dashed across the chamber and fired a banishing charm at the spirit who easily side stepped and returned fire with another killing curse. She fires again and he dodged, then another time, but he was gone. She ran back to see if he was following Hermione and Luna, but did not see him near those two who were standing near the giant mouth of the Basilisk and apparently having a debate.

She shook her head and looked some more, when a pair of arms suddenly grabbed her. "Disillusionment not taught to you yet? A shame for you, you were good, but not good enough."

She struggled in his arms, but he was too strong. His wand raised slowly towards the back of her neck when she felt it happen. Her nails grew and sliced his arms and she could feel the malevolent power that was her shadow. It pushed her back into her mind and she was lost for a time.

Even as she left her voice spoke, "You cannot have her. She is mine…"

Tom stared at her anew he recognized the force inside her and his jaw lowered, "You are another…one of my own created later. You are me we should not fight and you should not protect her. Slay her and work with me. We will rule the Wizarding world together."

She shook her head slowly, "You are an abomination like me that is true. We don't deserve to live in her world of light. Those like us any who would prey on that world will die. Blood and sacrifice is our nature and blood will run. I will very much cherish feeling your last dying breath….it will be….delicious…"

Tom raised his wand to cast a spell, but it was too late. Her nails had lengthened yet again and her speed was that of lightning. Sharp pains stabbed into his abdomen even as another pain shot through his heart. The book….Hermione and Luna had finally agreed and shoved the book into the Basilisk fang. He breathed his last breath, "You are me….see…you have killed the Weasel girl…"

He faded and the creature known as shadow looked over and saw. It was true she had the same wounds in her abdomen that had been on the enemy. He shook his head. It was of no matter innocents might die and their blood would be on his hands. He did not mind because he was already dammed for all of his deeds. He lifted her finger to her mouth and slowly sipped at his enemy's blood before finally fading back into her mind.

In Harriett's mindscape she was suddenly shoved back into everything. The chamber, the sights, blood on her hands and two girls shouting, "Harry no…oh Harry she's going to die…"

She moved quickly unsure of exactly what had happened, but knowing that she must act. Soon enough she was next to Hermione and Luna they were trying to heal Ginny Weasley's abdomen of four gaping and bloody wounds, but nothing was working. Blood poured out and Harriet smelled the stench that meant Ginny's intestines had leaked inside her. It was a death sentence even with most magics and some of the best healing witches and wizards. Even so, she stepped forward and brought up her wand. Germs and bacteria were items; they could be levitated and moved. Wounds were simply cut skin they could be sewn up and repaired. She closed her eyes lifted her wand and performed the magic she had been doing from a young age. Levitate and move, levitate and move…then added in her transfiguration work. Dust from the floor became thread and needles which were also levitated and moved.

Luna and Hermione watched the scene each with their own thoughts about it. Both of them wondered if perhaps they had been quicker in opening the jaws or less argumentative if perhaps this wouldn't be necessary. They also wondered at the power and skill of their friend who could slice into a man at one turn and then moments later heal horrible wounds created on that man's victim.

It was Luna who spoke first, "Please assume I said something odd about a Medicham. In the meantime I am going to climb the rope and find Miss Pomphrey."

Hermione simply nodded her eyes glued to the scene, "Yes, good plan Luna….I'll stay here and help Harry."

Before Luna could get very far a fiery bird popped into the room in a burst of flame. Soon after that the girls were all transported away.

-Chapter 18-

Not long afterward Harriett was sitting in Dumbledore's office waiting her turn to be questioned. She sighed and mentally looked about in her own head, "You're going to have to come out sooner or later Shadow. I know you're in here somewhere why won't you talk to me?"

Her eyes slowly shut and she was in a shadowed corridor. There she saw parts and pieces bloody blades and dark shadows with a hint of true malevolence. She tried to examine it closer, but finally it spoke, "Come no further my charge."

"Who are you? What are you?"

"Something like what you have faced, but worse. I am destruction and bloody vengeance. I am the blade wet with blood and the conquerors sword. Once I was desperate for my own power, but now I simply live to see you safe and your light in charge of the Wizarding World. I live to see your enemies destroyed to drink their blood and rejoice in their pain and death at my hands."

She looked down at her own hands seeing the blood all over them. The creature seemed to nod at her appraisal, "Yes it is on your hands as well, but your light is bright. You can scour away those small spots of blood on the day that you finally destroy me with its power."

She was horrified by the prospect. This thing had no remorse, no pity and no real morals other than some deep desire to see her safe. In completing that task there was no one it would not kill, no blood it would not shed. She didn't want to talk to it any more, didn't want anything to do with it. She opened her eyes and saw Albus Dumbledore looking down at her, "Did you have a good nap?"

She shivered lightly even though it was not cold. Then slowly she nodded her head and went in to speak with her headmaster. Inside she saw Luna and Hermione sitting in a chair and talking with members of the Weasley family. Dumbledore asked for her version of events and she explained it all without ever once mentioning her personal Shadow.

She mingled with the Weasley's and her friends talking about a few things including class work assignments, which quickly removed Ron and his two Twin brothers from the area. Even so it was a quick bit of fun until it finished up and everyone was departing. Dumbledore handed Harriett the old diary and said, "Well it shan't hurt anyone else now. Perhaps you can find a use for it?"

His eye twinkled and she gritted her teeth, but smiled back at the man and thanked him for the gift. After that she was walking down the halls with her two friends next to her. Luna smacked staring into a tall Blonde haired man who was being followed by a very nervous Dobby. The man snapped at Luna, "Shouldn't you look where you're going or do you plan to end up like your mother."

Luna sniffed and said, "It's not my fault. You have a greasy git in your hair and it makes you hard to see."

"A what young lady?"

Harriett looked at the scene realized he recognized the man and said, "Oh Mr. Malfoy you dropped this."

She handed him the diary in a dirty sock. The man pulled the book out of the sock and frowned, "I am not amused Miss Potter." With that he flung both the book and the sock in opposite directions and stalked off. "Come Dobby!"

The elf looked back at him holding the dirty sock and said, "No…Master Lucious gives Dobby a sock and so Dobby is free. Dobby never working for bad bad wizards again and it's all thanks to Miss Harriett Potter the bestest witch in England."

The blonde haired man departed the area and Harriett suffered through a hug of her leg and then watched the elf disappear. She then looked at Luna and Hermione and said, "So I guess I owe you guys an explanation huh?"

Hermione looked back and shrugged, "I think we can both forgive you for not realizing that hurting Tom would hurt Ginny. Besides you cured her after, so that makes it even."

Luna nodded sagely and the green eyed girl smiled. Neville was down stairs having missed most of the commotion and she wondered if perhaps he was replaced or it was simply that three girls such as themselves were an unbeatable team. They all joined in a group hug and she blushed. The softness of the other two girls felt good, better than other feelings and she wondered what that meant as well, then shrugged. She had enough to worry about with a psychotic monster living in her head. She sincerely hoped the next year would be easier and yet she knew it wouldn't.

She knew that dark forces were out to get her and she would be prepared.

-Epilogue-

Snape stared at his slave and smiled, "I found this ring. Interesting little bauble isn't it. More interesting is that it used to be a Horcrux wouldn't you say?"

Her head nodded and he smiled showing her his arm. The dark mark had faded and was beginning to be replaced by a new tattoo. "I will find others just like this. I will absorb the power left in his measly soul jars and take it for myself. Just think my dear I will have Narcissa, and Belatrix, and oh so many others. All of them will be turned into my little slaves just like you."

He smiled an evil smile and cupped her breast, "Harriett too my dear. I think I will like that best, maybe I'll even watch as I order you to take her. Won't that be grand?"

He laughed and ripped her clothes off. A tear slid down her cheek and she whimpered internally. She desperately hoped that her baby girl would never have to suffer this horrible fate.


	5. Book III: Chapters 1 through 11

-Prologue-

Consciousness returned and she felt her head. A large lump rose on the back and it was exceedingly painful to the touch. "Lumos" she whispered and her fingertip lit up brightly showing her the shabby state of the cupboard under the stairs blood went from the door to her current spot on the floor from the bleeding of her scalp wound.

It had happened again...memory seared through her skull and she was there back at the very beginning of summer. The first night in her room he had come and she had used her wand to Stupefy him wards were drawn all over her room and he stopped coming up, but a month passed and he grew bold and foolish. After dinner he came to the kitchen and ripped at her clothes a wave of her hand levitated him into the air and she was about to drop him when her aunt came in and she never even saw the club.

The first time she had woken up it was in the closet. Her wand was gone and she was still wearing the ripped clothes a small door opened and food was shoved through her aunt's shrill voice, "Tempting my boy your freak! There will be none of that here you little slut. You'll stay in the cupboard all summer long and not tempt my boy with your freakish ways you little trollop!"

It was interminable boredom, no sun, not note of time passing. One meal per day slipped under that tiny door which was bolted and chained after each use. She had been so hungry her insides gnawing at her and the shadow slipping into her mind, but even his darkness could do nothing here. So, her mind slid away into her happy protective zone and into the radiant white light of peace. No anger, no hunger just a radiant simple joy and it flowed through her until one day instead of dust on the floor there was food.

She had smiled, her magic had worked transfiguration had turned each bit of dust on her floor into a bit of food she could eat and eat she did with abandon, but it was not to last. That was when she heard the bolt cutters working outside the closet.

The next moment he was in the closet with her his questing paws on her flesh and her magic worn out from the wandless power she had expended. He was pulling and grasping, sweaty heavy and disgusting and then she saw her aunt again.

The ugly thin woman screeched and Dudley was gone. Her own reflexes were like molasses and she tried to get up, tried to run, but it hurt so much and her starved state was no help and then she felt the club again and again. Darkness had consumed her once again until now.

Her head pounded screaming in agony at the light her finger was giving off, but she needed it to see. The food she had transfigured from the dust was gone all that was in the room were herself and the blood trail. Then her stomach growled and so in addition to her headache her starvation called itself to the fore.

She needed a better plan this time she couldn't transfigure food again without days of meditation and she wouldn't survive days. She needed help and if she delved into her shadow it would just kill and destroy getting her sent to prison. She sighed softly and pondered under the light of her spell.

Her meal came again with no statements from her aunt this time. Thin gruel she had to eat straight from the bowl, but as she was eating a bit dripped onto her shirt. She wiped It off and ate it, but her gaze lingered on the shirt. She realized that it was a material and then stared at the long line of blood on the floor realizing that it could be ink.

She finished the only meal she would get for the day and tore a strip off her shirt big enough to write on. She licked her fingernail once and dragged it through her dried blood. The tip became light red and she scratched a simple message into the material

_Help!_

_Please come to my house Hermione._

_Harry_

With her message written Harriett Potter folded the scrap of cloth up into an envelope shape and slowly worked a bit of transfiguration. After that she carefully added Hermione's address to the front of the item and slowly concentrated.

In her mind's eye she saw it the "junk" drawer opened slightly and then a single stamp rips itself off and flutters to the ground as the drawer softly closes. After that the stamp would slowly meander across the hall floors and under the cupboard door. Then she smiled as the small stamp fluttered into her hands.

With a whispered work of thanks to her magic she licked the stamp and affixed it to her missive. After that she fell asleep due to the extreme exertion.

The small feeding door opened and she ate. Then it happened again. Time slowly passed and she gathered her magic to her for the next day, one chance to save herself and it would rely on her memories and her ability to use levitation without a wand.

The door opens and the food is shoved through as she acts. The letter flies out and her aunt screeches with anger and frustration as it sails past and down the hall. The front door opens slightly and the letter sails into the air and then down the block. It is harder and harder to control, hard to remember every detail of what she needs, but she concentrates and holds the tenuous connection between herself and the letter as a public mailbox opens its hinge slightly and the letter slides in.

Once again she is overcome with exhaustion. Once again darkness claims her until there is light and a new feminine scream of outrage.

-Chapter 1-

Her parents had assured her that Harriett would write back, but it had been a month and a few weeks into the summer and still no response. They were getting ready for their trip to Paris and then she would be out of contact until the very beginning of the school year.

Hermione sighed as she flipped through a book without actually reading it and then her mother came in bearing a concerned expression on her face. Hermione looked up at the woman and said, "What is it mum?"

"A letter from your friend Harriett, but it feels strange and the ink, well it looks almost like blood." The elderly Granger woman stared at the odd item and hesitantly held it out for Hermione to see.

The younger girl tore it from her grasp and opened it. Even as she did the object reformed into its original piece of ripped shirt with its dire message inside. Hermione looked up to her mother with fear in her eyes even as her mother was staring at the strange item with shock. "We have to go mother! We have to find out what's wrong with Harry."

She couldn't very well refuse her daughter; a thirteen year old girl had written a dire message in blood and yet at the same time she wasn't so very sure. "Honey don't you think we should dial up the police?"

Hermione looked to her mother and said, "Yes, but we should go. They won't know where to look and I do. Come on mother we have to help."

The older Granger woman nodded and sighed in defeat as she said, "Very well let's get your father as well."

It was the male Granger who said, "I agree we ought to dial up the police, but what can we tell them? We certainly can't say that our daughter received a magical letter written in blood."

He was, of course, right and so the three Grangers got into the car and drove over to the Dursley household. A knock on the door produced no answer as Petunia was at work and Dudley was out playing with friends and possibly planning a new assault on the cage where his cousin was being held.

Daniel Granger tried the knob without much success and he shrugged lightly saying, "Seems to be locked love."

Hermione simply frowned and stared at the offending lock. Then she pulled out her wand and whispered, "Alohamora" the lock clicked and she opened the door. Her parents looked at her with some amazement and then stepped in behind her as she walked into the house.

Soon enough they were at a triple padlocked and chained cupboard door with a strong steel feeding door at its bottom. Before seeing this item both of Hermione's parents had been wary of their actions, but now it seemed like their daughter might just be right. Even as they were realizing these things Hermione practically shouted, "ALOHAMORA!" and all the locks on the door opened at once.

The bushy haired girl pulled at loose chains and opened the cupboard door and there on the floor in front of the Grangers was a half-starved, beaten young girl unconscious on the floor before them. It was Emma Granger who shrieked with rage as her daughter swept to Harriett's side and began doing what simple healing spells she could.

Dan simply walked into the closet and checked her vitals as well. Even as he was doing that Emma got over her anger and quickly marched to a phone. With a savage yank she grabbed the handset and began to call for emergency assistance. She hadn't ever met Petunia Dursley, but anyone who could do something so cruel to a child in their care was a monster in her book.

Soon enough there were the flashing lights of a police wagon and soon after than an ambulance. The ambulance took the young beaten Harriett to the hospital with Hermione and her mother by her side. Dan was left to answer the questions of the police presenting them with the letter Harriett had written to his daughter as evidence. Afterwards giving his statement he went to the hospital where he was allowed in the waiting room.

Sometime later his wife and daughter met with him, having been questioned themselves at the hospital, and he spoke quietly hugging his daughter close with a tear in his eye saying, "You told us it was bad love, but I guess we didn't want to believe it was that bad. We should have….done more…"

It was a sentiment all three of them shared hitting Hermione hardest of all because she knew even more about the Dursley's and their treatment of her friend. Even so she wondered what would happen to Harriett now, where would she be sent, and it scared her greatly.

Meanwhile, Harriett awoke fully noting that her magic was attenuated but there and a gentle voice was speaking to her. She looked up and saw the woman an elderly lady wearing a comfortable business suit and holding a bag of some sort. Harriett smiled up at her and she smiled back, "I see you are awake. I am from the Office of Children's Welfare my name is Glinda and I will be your advocate and case worker."

Harriett nodded then tilted her head quizzically, "Hermione?

"Your friend and her family are in the waiting room here at the hospital. You have suffered quite a bit and it is my job to help alleviate that suffering." The woman smiled a loving grandmotherly smile and almost radiated warmth and protection.

She continued speaking as Harriett halfheartedly smiled back. "According to our records your parents died in some sort of house explosion when you were a child. It is unknown how, but you were left in the care of your aunt and uncle since that time. Unfortunately, there is no record of any additional living family."

Harriett shrugged and then tentatively added, "I think there is more to the Dursley family ma'am."

Glinda shook her head, "No, I think it would be best to remove you from that environment. There is a small home for young girls here in London that you can stay at for the rest of the summer. There are counselors and tutors there."

She scratched her head lightly and then said, "Now, according to our records you are Attending Hogwarts School. There is not much information about it anywhere, but it has been investigated and is an appropriate place of learning if perhaps a bit light on the sciences. Was your Aunt providing the funding for you to attend?"

"No ma'am my parents left my tuition in their will I am told." The lady listened to that and made a note of it.

"I don't have any records here of any other inheritance Harriett, but I believe sending you back to that school will be good for you." She smiled again and stepped closer, "Now I suppose you will be wanting to see your friend and her family?"

Harriett nodded and Glinda departed the woman went to see the Granger family and stood in front of the three she introduced herself and her role as Harriett's advocate and case worker. Then she brought the three along with her.

All four people walked down the hallways and soon enough they arrived in Harriett's room. There Hermione took Harriett up in a big hug and the two girls smiled happily and began to chat. Meanwhile Emma looked at the two and then at the social worker, "I know this may be a bit early, but do you know where she'll be going?"

"The Sisterhood of Charity's home for young ladies is most likely."

Emma nodded at that and then said, "Do you think it would be possible for my husband and I to take her in?"

Glinda smiled at the woman and said, "It's a big responsibility. Why don't you talk it over with your husband and if you really want to go that route you can fill out the paperwork and have the requisite home visits from my agency."

She nodded and then went to speak with her husband. The middle aged dentist had heard what his wife had asked of the social worker and he had been thinking the same thing. Hermione and Harriett were best friends already and while he and his wife did not yet love their daughter's young friend they were quite fond of her. Of course if they did this it would mean curtailing their vacation trip to Paris and staying home during the summer along with a monthly check up from social services and then a few times every year.

He elucidated those very things to his wife as they conversed lightly while their daughter smiled and spoke with her best friend. Even so visiting hours were soon over and they had to depart. They said their goodbyes and left Harriett in her hospital bed.

Glinda had left some time before that to arrange the details of Harriett's arrival at the group home the next day. She would pick the young girl up from the hospital and then take her to the Dursley house without anyone inside. There they would pack her belongings and travel to the group home where Harriett would live for a while.

-Chapter 2-

Albus Dumbledore was quite upset. Harriett potter had left her house and by the time he arrived at the scene police where everywhere examining the place. He had disillusioned himself and snuck in there he saw the cupboard and frowned lightly at its contents and then shook his head knowing that it had been for the greater good. Still Harriett wasn't at the house and he had no further information to go on.

He sighed lightly realizing that it was too late to do anything for it. He took time to use his legillimancy on the police officers at the house until he found one who knew where Harriett had been taken. After that he simply apparated to the hospital and looked in on the girl.

Finding her asleep in her bed he put a tracking charm on her and apparated away knowing that wherever the muggles took her he would now be able to find her and possibly rectify the damage by erecting wards around the property. He briefly thought of letting her stay with a Wizarding family, but discarded the idea. She needed to be as ignorant as possible and to count on his leadership most of all. She had to go like a lamb to the slaughter or else all was lost. He sighed softly again, but then popped a lemon drop in his mouth and smiled. He would fix this and the greater good would be served.

A few days later he arrived at the Sisterhood of Charity's Home for Young Ladies where he met with some of the staff and requested a visit with Harriett saying that he was her great grandfather. Not that his story would matter as they would all forget his visit soon after he was done.

He was escorted to a small room and his young brown haired student was brought in. She frowned deeply at his presence and he gave one of his patented grandfatherly smiles with a twinkle in his eye, "Ahh Harry I am glad to see you well after your ordeal and very saddened by the fact that it happened. I wish I could have done something more to help you my girl."

Her shadow roiled with hatred of this man and she herself was not feeling very amicable towards him, but she forced a smile to her face and found her center. She smiled back at him and said, "Thank you sir I am well and arrangements are working apace for my health and safety. Not to worry sir I will be seeing you at Hogwarts when the new semester begins."

He tried not to frown as he said, "What sort of arrangements Harriett my dear girl? You know I can place wards and protections here and it seems like a good place. The Anglican religious elements should help dissuade your enemies some as well."

She shrugged at him and kept her sweet smile up as she told the perfect truth, "It is up to the muggle authorities sir. I'm sure they will find me a nice place to live and perhaps by using such means any wizard who seeks to do me harm will have a terribly difficult time of doing so."

She had a point and besides any muggles would do to keep her as ignorant as possible. He sighed wishing she weren't so studious and interested in information as that alone was ruining his plans, but there was little to be done, but hope the greater good would be served. Besides a tracking charm would let him know where she went. "A good point dear girl do let me know how it goes I am, as always, interested in your health and safety."

She wondered just where he had been while she was bleeding on the floor in her cupboard, but let it go. Her smile stayed on her lips and she nodded happily, "Of course sir. I will let you know how it goes."

The elderly wizard departed after refreshing his tracking charm and Harriett concentrated on that charm slipping it from her outfit and into the desk. She felt the tension and anger from her shadow. She didn't hate Dumbledore like her shadow did, but she didn't trust him either. She explained this to herself and said, "Don't worry we'll tell him the perfect truth. We are being taken in by a muggle foster family and they are quite nice. We can simply forget to mention the exact name of that family."

-Chapter 3-

Harriett smiled lightly in her shared room at the group home for young ladies. Her bags were packed up, including some presents she had received via owl mail, and she knew that soon the Grangers would be here and she would be celebrating her thirteenth birthday with her new foster family.

It had taken some time in weeks and an assurance to her advocate that she would indeed enjoy living with her best friend, but it was finally happening. She gathered her things and began bringing them to the common room where Sister Angela was watching the television.

The sister looked up and smiled at the young girl saying, "We'll miss you Harriett love, but we are all happy to see you go with a family. If only the other girls were as blessed."

Harriett couldn't comment much on that. The young girls at the home were in just as bad, if not worse straights, than she had been. Abuse was the common theme and group counseling sessions had not been very much fun. Especially since every time she was in the sessions she could hear her shadow following her own negative thoughts. She knew he wanted to slaughter the Dursleys and after hearing some of the other girl's tales he wanted to eviscerate their tormentors as well. She knew it was true and despite her best intentions some part of her soul resonated with him on that level. Some part of her dove past the light and slunk into the shadows where it wanted to torture, maim, and murder the people right along with her mental visitor.

She shivered a moment and focused on happy thoughts until the Granger family arrived. With their help she packed her bags and bid the nun a goodbye with a hug. As they departed the home a Television show announced that a vicious murderer named Sirius Black was on the loose.

The information was mostly ignored and the four people began to drive towards the Grangers home with Harriett saying, "So you got a letter too then Hermione?"

The bushy haired girl nodded and said, "Yes I know I mentioned it to you and our family had to pay the fine for underage use of magic and of course it was twice in a row, but I looked in the legal books and until they send the first warning there's a spot of time so there was nothing they could do but give me the fine."

Her father replied, "We were happy to pay it and glad you're willing to stay with us until school starts again."

His wife added, "I agree we may not have gone to Paris this year, but this was much more important. Besides, I'm sure we can always go next year with you Harriett."

The green eyed girl smiled happily at her situation nudging Hermione, "I see you left my cat at home hmm Hermione?"

"What?" Hermione answered with mock annoyance, "Crookshanks is my kitty even if you do bribe him away with your evil ways. But, yes he is home try not to spoil him overmuch okay Harry?"

Harriett nodded and the car continued to converse about small things as they went. Soon enough they arrived at the Granger residence and Harriett's bags were carried into a spare bedroom. A small party was held with cake and presents and the four person family exchanged hugs.

If Harriett was somewhat confused by her body's reaction to hugging Hermione she didn't say anything and simply went up to her room where she sat and began penning a letter to Dumbledore.

"_Dear Headmaster Dumbledore,_

_I feel very safe here with my foster family and in keeping with your suggestions of precaution I am leaving their name and address out of this missive._

_I just wanted to thank you for your concern as to my situation and to let you know that I will be very wary of anyone I believe might be out to harm me or mistreat me in the future._

_Thank you again._

_Sincerely,_

_Harriett "Harry" Potter_

She smiled again at her work knowing that if he were to read it in the right light it might just show that she distrusted him greatly. Even so she was absolutely sure that everything she had written was the complete and honest truth and if Dumbledore came seeking her out he would have a terribly difficult time finding her.

A few days later found the Headmaster of Hogwarts stymied in that Harriett was extraordinarily correct in her estimations. His tracing spell led him only to the Holy Sisterhood and very few people there knew who Harriett had gone with. He tried some passive legilimancy, but the nuns who actually did know Harriett's new family were very devout and close-minded. This meant that, unless he was willing to openly pull out his wand in front of muggles, he was stuck.

He frowned lightly and finally decided to leave it as it was. Harriett had obviously taken his warning to heart and if he couldn't find her then it was rather unlikely that any Death eaters would.

-Chapter 4-

Harriett looked through the window at the Firebolt broomstick with Hermione at her side. "It looks rather fast I suppose."

Her friend smiled and said, "True, but what would you need it for. Tempted to try out for Quiddich then?"

"Oh gods no, can you imagine. The sport makes entirely no sense. A single player and single activity wins the game which is entirely unrelated to the rest of the game. No, I can honestly say I have no interest in playing Quiddich. Now if it were football instead that would be a different story."

Hermione giggled and said, "You and your dislike of Quiddich and who knew that dad was going to find another football nut in the house."

The green eyed girl smiled back, "Yes, well I'd never seen it before and it is rather exciting. Nothing at all like the Quiddich games here. Now if only we could remove the snitch or even play football on our brooms using levitation spells on the ball…"

The other girl giggled again, "Oh goodness you'd totally win with your ability to levitate things so well even without a wand."

A loud voice behind them shouted, "Hey get off of him you mangy cat!"

The two girls looked and surely enough Crookshanks was attempting to savage Ron's rat. Hermione was quickest on the scene picking up her kitty, petting him, and soothing him. "That cat is a menace!"

"Please attempt to understand Ron, Hermione's animal is a cat and he eats rats. That's just all there is to it. No harm was meant he must have just been hungry."

Ron stared back at Harriett and said, "Well you just like that cat better than my rat."

The girl-who-lived really couldn't fault his statement. She did like the cat better than some dingy old rat. "Well that may be true, but I'll try and help Hermione keep him away this year just like last. Maybe you should try not to let your rat just run around though hmm?"

Ron huffed and walked off only to be replaced by a lovely blond girl who said, "You know he may be part sneazel?"

"I doubt Ron is any part sneazel Luna."

The flighty girl laughed lightly and said, "Not him Harry your and Hermione's pet cat there."

"He's mine, not Harriett's even if she does bribe him from time to time." The girl stuck out her tongue in a mock sort of way.

Harriett giggled lightly and said, "Well we can always check and see Luna, what sort of things should we look for?"

"Hmm well the supposedly have heightened intelligence and a protective instinct. According to legend they also can hide very well in the dark. I guess the biggest thing would be if he were able to sense and hunt out animals in other forms. If he doesn't like Ms. McGonagle then it's likely he's a sneazle mix."

The green eyed girl nodded and said, "See Hermione that's why she's in Ravenclaw."

"Oh and what explains our placement in with Gryffindor then?"

Harriett shrugged and said, "You got me there. Maybe there was a mix up with the sorting hat. Or it could be that the magic item just had spot impressions to go on and both of us were radiating courage in the face of adversity while Luna here was probably thinking about a Crumple Horned Snorcack"

Hermione frowned and said, "Oh no not this again. I'll accept that you have changed your perspective, but I'm not changing mine. I want proof first."

Luna looked curious at Harry and Hermione and said, "What are you talking about."

"Well," began Harriett, "It's like this Hermione and I are both muggle raised so we come from a world where evidence is required before you believe in things. Hermione is staying with that process, while I have moved to a trust, but verify sort of process in that if someone tells me a magical item or creature exists I will believe that it might indeed exist, but will then attempt to verify. This is why I believe in Crumple Horned Snorcacks and Hermione does not."

The Ravenclaw girl took that explanation in, "Well why don't you two come on an expedition with father and I next summer. Surely if you find spoor, footprints, and an actual Snorcack you would be convinced."

Hermione sighed and said, "Fine I'll go, but if I'm right I get to say I told you so."

Harriett nodded and with Luna in tow the three girls went about their shopping together for the rest of the day. Another few days after that found the three of them and Neville Longbottom on the Hogwarts express journeying to the school for Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The journey proceeded apace with laughter and friendship all about. Harriett joined in for a time until, at a point mid journey, Hermione was laughing at a joke of Neville's and time seemed to slow down as a dark form approached the window. Her father screaming epithets and a green light arose in her vision. It was horrific and it seemed to take forever as the darkness consumed her she felt her shadow being pulled away first. Her eyes blinked open even as her friends were cowering in fear at the dark apparition over her head its mouth was wide and disgusting and she could see her Shadow being taken out of her he was dying slowly and she was helpless….no….not helpless…she felt the bright light of love her inner fire and all her hopes and desires. She tugged them forwards and heard the words her Shadow was speaking to her or a part of them and she spoke as she held out her wand, "_Angelus Incendia!"_

The power rushed from her and out of her wand a bright cleansing fire in the shape of a dove. The black creature in front of her screamed and turned to run even as it burned and then the side wall of the train and the dove shot out into the world, then into the sky exploding in a flash of white glory. While Harriett just collapsed and fell unconscious her friends holding her, tapping her arm and asking questions….

She woke looking at an older man with black hair and a fraying wizards robe. A piece of chocolate was handed to her. She took it and ate it as he said, "Lupin, Professor Remus Lupin at your service Harriett."

She shook her head and sat up and wondering aloud, "What happened?"

"A Dementor seems to have attacked the train. You chased it off using some sort of spell, but none of your friends can say which one. Was it the patronus?"

She shook her head as the vision went through her head. Shadow her shadow had been dying somehow and she had listened to him about a spell or maybe changed one that he was telling her. She had pulled on the light the same one she visited when she needed to disappear from herself tugged at that amazing white power even as the most vile part of her was being destroyed. She could have let him die could have said goodbye, but she had not wanted to. His companionship no matter how depraved, no matter how distorted had been with her all her life. Going without it was nearly unimaginable now. "I don't think it was a Patronus sir, but I'd like to learn that spell too if you're willing?"

The professor nodded and said, "All right Harriett. We'll arrange a schedule and you can learn the spell. Should be pretty easy compared to whatever the other one was."

That was the last thing he said before the train came to a stop and she exited the car to find her belongings. In the mad rush of departure she had little time to speak with her friends and then they were at the sorting ceremony.

It was not until late that night when she was sitting on her bed with Hermione next to her when the bushy haired girl spoke, "I looked it up. The creature was a dementor, but the only known spell for defeating them is the patronus. The words for that spell are, '_Expecto Patronum_' and you didn't use those Harriett."

The unspoken question was sitting there waiting for her to answer it and she sighed. Her green eyes scanning over her friend as she said, "You want to know what spell I did cast right?"

The other girl nodded lightly a curl bouncing off her shoulder and making her look delicate and soft. Harriett sighed again and said, "Well I'm going to bet you looked in some spell compendium indexes and couldn't find the spell there either. This….." she raised her hands in the air and then touched her scar, "well its complicated."

"You're my best friend Harry, my first friend and you stay at my house. I know about your relatives and what they did to you as well. What could possibly change my opinions now?" The bushy haired girl took Harriett's hand in her own. "Don't you see Harriett we're so close to each other. You can tell me."

Harriett smiled back as she realized she loved Hermione. Plainly and simply she loved her best friend and she needed to let her know everything. "It's my shadow he or it lives inside me. He tells me things and helps me in bad situations. I think I know where he came from…."

Hermione looked back at her green eyed friend saying softly, "What do you mean Harry?"

"He, it…Shadow is like the creature we found inside Ginny and yet he's different. I think he was once exactly the same, but my father's death or something changed him. He wants me to live and survive and is prepared to do anything towards that goal and a few others…."

Harriett blushed as Hermione took the information in and then began to panic, "He's Voldemort? Inside of you? Harriett we have to get him out!"

The green eyed girl shook her head, "I think I had the chance today, to let him die, but I couldn't do it. As much as he is against my morals and ethics I've had him with me my whole life. I can't just let him go he's…well…he's my Shadow…"

She finished lamely as Hermione looked at her with a mixture of fear and questioning. "Your entire life, but…but…you're not like Ginny. You're not a bad person at all. I don't understand? You just ignore him?"

"Yes, and he's helped me twice against other versions or spirits of himself. I guess the original Voldemort must have made them, like the book, so he could continue to live even after death maybe. I was planning to try and find out what a Horcrux was, but so far the library hasn't been helpful." She smiled somewhat sheepishly.

Hermione tilted her head, "It saved you on the train….and in the chamber didn't it?"

"Well in the chamber for sure," she answered, "on the train it saved itself by giving me the idea for that spell. It tried to hand me something dark I think, but I knew I could tap into love and happiness and make it light."

Hermione stared as her friend once again informed her that she had simply broken the established guidelines on how magic should work. Levitation shouldn't be possible without a wand and spell creation was supposed to take years not mere moments. She smiled ruefully and hugged her friend deciding that maybe the other girl had things under control. As her arms wrapped around the green eyed girl and she hugged her close a warm feeling rushed through her and she felt some parts of her body react. Hermione blushed as that happened and hoped that Harriett hadn't noticed.

The other girl had noticed and had similar reactions of her own, but did not say anything at all. She just let herself revel for that moment in the hug.

-Chapter 5-

It wasn't until classes began that Harriett began to hear the gossip and see the newspapers. Apparently Sirius Black, the man who had supposedly betrayed her parents to Voldemort, had escaped from Azkaban. Harriett was reading the paper and examining the details therein noting that most of them were quite slim.

Hermione looked over and said, "Worried about Sirus Black Harry?"

"I don't know the paper is quite sparse on the details of his trial. Did he really betray my parents? Does he have a dark mark? It's very much a tabloid this paper even worse than the Sun and nothing at all like the Telegraph. I wish there was a reputable paper to read, but alas even the Quibbler is more tabloid than truth."

The girl with green eyes frowned and Hermione said, "Well I suppose we could do that if we really wanted to when we get older."

"Not a bad idea Hermione. First we'll research this Black thing and get the real story and then we'll have to ask Luna and maybe her father to find out how much it costs to publish these things."

The bushy haired girl nodded and said, "Maybe we could even turn in stories for the Quibbler or something. I bet we could convince her and her father to let us since she already writes stories too."

"Good plan and it would increase readership of the Quibbler maybe even get our names out as trusted information brokers. People deserve to read the truth and the whole truth at that."

With that the two girls walked off to find Luna. The blonde girl was rather happy to see them and upon hearing their plans agreed to speak with her father and help them in their research saying, "Besides, we may find out more on the rot fang conspiracy while we're at it."

Harriett shrugged and said, "You never know Luna. We might at that."

Hours of research later gave them no better answers to their questions. Harriett stared at an old paper about the trial saying, "Look it doesn't say anything about the evidence other than he supposedly killed muggles and this Peter fellow, but few witnesses were talked to and even then how could you trust a non-magical person to know which wizard was casting what spell? Also, his wand wasn't even examined and no Veritaserum was used. Or if it was it isn't mentioned in the paper!"

The girl shook her head and growled, "This is exactly the reporting we need to put an end to. Details and facts are important right?"

Hermione nodded and Luna said, "So many of the creatures I find have few facts for their existence. I just have to believe that I'm right."

Hermione looked at her and said, "But we could find facts, we could take pictures of spoor and footprints. We could prove they exist or not and then your belief would be verified."

The green eyed girl sighed and said, "Magical creatures aren't the same as this really. Myths and legends could be true or something might be invisible or hard to detect, but with so much of Wizards there are spells and ways to detect spells and even ways to get the real truth. A paper should be about trying to find that, not just posting a sensational story."

Hermione chuckled and Harriett added, "Well maybe a sensational story, but a true one. They can be just as sensational and true can't they?"

The other two girls nodded and Luna was convinced to speak to her father about getting Harriett and Hermione onto the writing staff of the Quibbler. The response was quite positive and soon after that two more junior reporters were on the job.

Another day or so later gave the two girls their first story of the year as Hagrid taught the Care of Magical Creatures class. Each student was instructed on how to approach the seemingly wild hippogriff named Buckbeak. Harriett followed instructions and bowed to the creature with respect and was then rewarded with a quick flight.

In her wake Draco Malfoy approached the creature with a sneer and said, "I won't bow to such a mangy filthy beast. Especially, not to one that just carried such a Bloodtraitor Whore like Potter."

He was too close to the creature as he said it and it clawed him. The blond screamed in agony and even as Hagrid calmed the beast yelled, "You'll hear from my father for this. That mangy creature will be destroyed for daring to harm a scion of house Malfoy!"

It was the first story that Harriett and Hermione worked on together. Getting facts from students and even trying to ask Miss Pompfrey about treating the injury, but the nurse refused on medical privacy grounds. Even so they were able to get a picture of the bandaged wound and eye witness testimony from other students so that by the time Lucious went to the Minister of Magic the story about how Draco refused to follow instructions and was thus harmed by his own ignorance was out in the Quibbler.

In the meantime as bureaucratic wheels turned and Malfoy gold lined a minister's pockets the students had other classes to attend. These included arithmancy, ancient runes, and Defense against the Dark arts where professor Lupin was teaching the class about Boggarts.

The white orb popped like a balloon and the professor nodded, "So you see class a simple downward slash and '_Riddiculus' _thus is the creature chased away back into its hidey hole and removal can proceed apace. Would anyone like to try it and face off against their fear?"

Hands raised and students went up to each try their luck with the creature. Neville saw professor Snape, Hermione saw a failed test and Ron saw a giant spider. Harriett waited her turn, but class ended before they got to her. As they were leaving Lupin said, "Anyone who missed their chance please see me and I will arrange a time for you to try it. Anyone who failed to cast the spell should practice more in their dorm and then arrange a time with me to try again. I want to get this out of the way before we tackle some of the other advanced defenses." 

Even as she stepped passed him Lupin said, "Oh Harriett I have some time tomorrow evening if you could stop by for tea and such please?"

She smiled at him and nodded.

-Chapter 6-

Hermione sighed, "It looks like Malfoy's father is going to get his way despite our reporting. The dangerous animals department is examining the issue and will get back to the Minister and Malfoy within a month or so. In the meantime Buckbeak stays imprisoned and Hagrid is reduced to talking about flobberworms."

"I know Hermione, but I can't think of much else we can do. It's been terribly hard even getting that information by sending letters to agencies. Not to mention that apparently Sirius Black's files have been sealed by Ministry authority and it would take the full Wizengamot to unseal them for anyone's purview."

She growled lightly and said, "If I were Minister of magic I swear we'd change all these rules and institute a new government. A constitution like Canada's might work what do you think?"

Even as she said it her shadow grinned inside she was exactly on the train of thought he wanted to see and his glee increased tenfold as Hermione nodded, "It's a good plan. A constitution with freedoms and putting checks on the power of the Ministry. Lucious Malfoy shouldn't be so able to throw money and get what he wants without breaking a law."

It was Luna who added, "The parliament of England seems not to be all that much better though. Rotfang conspiracy seems to have gotten to them as well."

"Well that breaks my bubble Luna, but still I think we should get so much of this changed and I bet Hermione agrees. Even at its most corrupt worst I doubt Parliament is anything near as bad as the Wizengamot and Minister of Magic."

"I agree Harry." She smiled at her friend who smiled back and then Luna smiled as well all three girls having a happy moment even as they were unable to fix a broken system.

Soon after her research and discussion with her friends Harriett came to Professor Lupin's office and knocked. When a voice told her to come in she entered and sat down next to the professor. Lupin smiled down at her and said, "I was good friends of the Potters Harriett, very good friends with James and Lilly."

Harriett nodded and he continued with a smile, "It's been a long time since those days a long sad time for you more than me I would think. I'm really sorry for everything that happened to you. If I could have done anything….."

She shook her head, "It's okay professor you didn't know. Other people were tasked with my care and they failed. You shouldn't feel bad that you weren't there and besides I have a Foster family now and things are looking up."

"Hmm, but no signed permission slip for Hogsmeade?" He queried.

"No, my foster parents didn't feel that it would be safe there. I'm not sure I think it would be safe either a permission slip with their names on it might just be what some Voldemort supporter was looking for to find me."

The professor sighed, "So young and I wish I could say your paranoia was unjustified, but I truly can't. In any case I do have a boggart here if you'd like to practice and you mentioned the Patronus charm. I can help you with that as well."

Lupin pointed to a box near him and Harriett examined it wondering just what her Boggart would look like. She examined the box a bit more and then pulled out her wand saying, "Okay professor I'm ready."

He nodded and opened the box. When a girl looking like Harriett appeared from within with elongated nails, sharp teeth, and coated with blood he was utterly flummoxed. Harriett on the other hand knew exactly what it was it was her. Her if she only listened to Shadow her in the depths of darkness and feeding from it. The vision was mad power and psychopathy and yet it was also her. Even so she concentrated imagining the girl with a pink bow in her hair and shouting the intonation for the spell "_Riddiculus!"_

With a pop the vision was gone and the Boggart was back in its box. She then smiled to the professor and said, "Thank you it was harder than I thought it might be, but your instructions on how to defeat it worked."

The man looked back at the young girl and wondered just what in her life had made her afraid of herself. But, he didn't ask instead he nodded and said, "Well on to the Patronus spell then shall we?"

She nodded and listened to him with rapt attention. In the middle of his discussion on the finer points of the spell Severus Snape stepped into the room.

-Chapter 7-

His plans had failed to get him any closer to more of Voldemort's horcruxes. None of the former death eaters trusted him and he didn't dare go to Dumbledore with his plans. At least Lilly had been with him all that time serving his darkest fantasies, but even that had become slightly dull in the face of seeing Harriett so often.

He sighed lightly as he finished the potion and decanted it into a number of bottles. The temptation to simply poison it was quite high. But, he didn't do so and just brought up a cup of steaming hot potion for the Werewolf. A sneer was on his face even as he opened the door noting that the stupid creature didn't even have enough intellect to make the potion on his own.

"Oh professor Snape good day to you sir." The words ripped the sneer from him and he almost stared at the girl. Her green eyes were alight with fire and vibrancy just like her mother's eyes. They spoke of intellect and beauty and so many things that had been taken by Potter. Taken from him when he had rightfully deserved them. But, she would be his sooner or later he swore it to himself yet again that someday he would have this girl just like he had her mother.

The cup of potion was placed and he stalked out of the room with that on his mind never realizing that he hadn't even bothered to speak to the object of his fantasies.

Even as he had come in her hackles raised. She felt her Shadow pacing in the far recesses of her mind and knew the creature wanted to kill Snape if it could. She watched as the drink was placed and Lupin took it. She stared a moment as Lupin sipped and then couldn't stand it, "Professor what is that and why would you take anything from Professor Snape?"

He smiled lightly at her and said, "It's a potion I need to take for my condition and not to worry Harriett Snape isn't trying to poison me. He's just helping me out albeit under Dumbledore's orders. I doubt he'd defy Dumbledore."

She sighed with exasperation and ended up excusing herself unable to watch as Lupin drank something given to him by Snape. She then met up with Hermione and began working on some advanced work for their charms class.

After the two girls had gone to bed and were in deep slumber a shriek came from the entrance of the Gryffindor rooms. Students piled down and professors came around to see that the portrait in front of the dorm had been ripped by something.

Harriett took careful note and even asked Colin to take a few pictures of the scene. Meanwhile the professors searched took them to the great hall and attempted to search the castle. Hermione looked to Harriett and said, "I don't get it supposedly the wards keep evil intent out, but we know they don't exactly at that. Plus we know this place is hugely gigantic with numerous hiding spots and even the Chamber of Secrets. The professors searching around like this is patently useless. Instead they should simply have some magic that tracks every occupant in the castle. That wouldn't be so hard…"

Harriett grinned and said, "Maybe you shouldn't mention that. Any item that was able to track students would be used by Filtch for sure."

The brown eyed girl pondered that and said, "Well maybe it should simply track everyone who isn't a student."

"Well that would certainly be useful," Harriett nodded.

A tap on her shoulder and a voice said, "It would now hmm is that right Harriett."

She looked at the source of the tapping and said, "Fred what are you talking about?"

"I'm Fred he's George" a voice to her other side complained.

She shook her head and said, "Not falling for it George I know which of you is which."

Fred frowned and said, "How do you bloody do that Harriett no one really knows for sure which of us is which?"

"A secret that I'll share with you as soon as you tell me more about whatever it is you were trying to say."

George looked to Hermione, "Just a min Hermione we'll bring her back to you safe and sound, there's a place over this way that's quiet for talk."

Hermione rolled her eyes and said, "Careful they don't turn your teeth green Harry."

Harriett's response was swallowed by the crowd as she was dragged off to a corner where the two boys showed her a very special map. The green eyed girl looked at it carefully and then said, "Okay now why are you two showing me this?"

"Well..." started one "we figure that you need it more than us seeing as" the first spoke again "A certain Sirius Black is after you and we" the second one came back in "know you weren't at the outing this weekend so a passage to Hogsmeade might be useful eh?"

Harriett shook her head as she said, "Okay first of all that's just annoying with the back and forth and second just what do you expect in return for this?"

George replied cannily, "Well you see we notice things around here and you are pretty much a whiz with levitation….**wandless** levitation. We've seen you pick up loose items and such that were dropped or nearby without a word and not a single swish or flick of your wand to be seen."

"You want me to show you how do you?" She smiled at them

"Or at least a hint just let us know how you learned and we'll do the rest."

She smirked lightly and said, "Alright, but you two are not to prank Hermione and I with it or anything else for the rest of the year. Deal?"

They each held out a hand, "Deal!"

She shook with each twin and departed with her map.

-Chapter 8-

"Ugh really must we watch this Hermione. I'd rather be racing my broom or flying myself, why are we watching Quiddich?"

A hand struck her shoulder, "Hush you we're here to support our house mates and to keep Neville company. Also, it's nice out and we can do some work while enjoying the weather."

"I guess so, any luck in finding our more on what we can do for Buckbeak?"

"Sorry Harry, but until a ruling has been made he's got to stay tied up."

The green eyed girl nodded and looked down at the field where she could swear there was a black dog and then Dementors. The hooded creatures ceased chasing the animal, if that had even been what they were doing, and turned towards Harriett.

Panic began to swell and students began to flee even as Mrs. McGonagall came down and raised her wand recite the incantation for the Patronus spell. A bright cat leapt from her wand and stood in front of the Dementors cowing them even as they tried to go around and get at Harriett. She in turn stared at them hearing screams and explosions feeling the pain from when her shadow had been attacked last….her hand touched her wand and she held it straight out feeling righteous indignation at these horrid creatures.

She shouted the words "_Expecto Patronum_" and from her own wand rose a brilliant white Stag. It joined McGonagall's cat and as more teachers came and they along with the higher years added more glowing Patroni to the field below. The Dementors were cowed and forced away from the student body and the game resumed. Even as the game restarted Harriett stood there and released her spell with a look of minor regret. She had scared the Dementors, but it didn't feel like enough. She turned and stepped away knowing that if she met the creatures again the Patronus spell wouldn't be what she used at all.

Even before the game was over Harriett was receiving kudos on her spell work. She explained that she had asked Lupin for extra lessons and the teacher demurred from having to teach other students by pointing out that there had only been two lessons, that his time was quite limited, and that results like those Harriett showed were atypical.

By the time the weekend came around the news had dies down to a quiet roar that Harriett was more used to from being the-girl-who lived. Even so she made arrangements to meet Hermione and Neville at Hogsmeade later in the day. "Why sneak around Harry, why not just give Dumbledore the note from my parents. As your guardians he can't refuse their wishes you know?"

The green eyed girl shook her head, "No, I just don't trust him. There are so many spells we don't know about so many possibilities. I really don't want to put Dan and Emma in danger and I just feel that letting anyone in the magical world know that they are my guardians would do just that."

Hermione sighed, "Well I can't fault you for wanting to keep my parents safe Harry."

"Besides how is Luna going to come with us unless I bring her?"

Hermione snorted and said, "Fine bring her too, but I wasn't involved."

-Chapter 9-

Under her invisibility cloak Harriett was rather uncomfortable. Luna was pressed close to her and she could smell something nice coming from the girl's hair. Harriett's whole body felt very warm and tingly as they moved along the passages of Hogwarts and through a passageway that would lead them to Hogsmeade.

By the time they were out the young green eyed girl was sweating and feeling quite strange while the blonde girl seemed nonplussed by the whole experience saying, "Maybe in a year or two Harriett. I'm much too young to decide that sort of thing don't you think?"

"Ah sure…whatever you say Luna." She replied without really understanding what the younger girl meant.

The two then crept up the stairs hearing Cornelius Fudge speaking as they did so, "That man is a menace I tell you. He's the first escapee ever from Azkaban and he's responsible for telling you-know-who how to get the Potters and he killed Peter Pettigrew. Really, he blew him apart in front of a bunch of Muggles leaving only his finger."

Harriett listened a bit, but no information about the trial was given out so she ushered Luna along to their meeting with Hermione and Neville. The four students enjoyed some sweets and shopping before heading back to Hogwarts where Hagrid was waiting for them with bad news.

Hermione took a letter from the sobbing large man and read it, "Notice that the animal known as Buckbeak will be put on trial for intentionally injuring a noble scion of the realm."

She stared at the paper a few moments and said, "Really a trial…but no jury just Fudge and for a bit of a clawing. Back in the Muggle world maybe Hagrid would be tried, but even then it would just be a fine or something and the animal wouldn't be put down just moved back into the wild where it belongs."

Harriett shrugged and said, "Well we read some of those law books and you know that non-wizards have few rights here. I mean look at the trial itself it will just be Fudge and that's all. He can make any judgment he likes and no one can appeal it or anything."

The two girls sighed almost in unison and tried to comfort Hagrid as best they could, but it was little use. The only consolation for Harriett was a day later in a Firebolt that had apparently been delivered addressed to her.

She looked to Hermione and said, "It's the same one we saw in the shop in Hogsmeade the other day. The one I was drooling over and you told me to save my money."

"Well I know you like to ride fast and challenge yourself, but Hogwarts doesn't have a broom racing league like some other places. Still it is nice for a broom…"

A chuckle came from Harriett, "You still don't like riding them much do you?"

"I much prefer other means of transport Harry. Putting a broom between my legs and shooting off at high speeds without any form of protection, not even a helmet seems like the height of madness."

"Well we could make helmets and pads I suppose. Keep our heads and knees from squishing if the sticking charms failed, but in general the things are charmed to the gills Hermione. It would take quite a bit to make them fail."

The other girl sighed, "I suppose so, I'm just glad you don't play Quiddich. Could you imagine getting a bludger tossed at your head and no protection at all? Madame Pomphrey is always healing some break or massive injury."

"Well I guess that with magic to heal them Wizards just don't realize the danger as much as those of us who come from a world where multiple breaks and contusions would put you in the hospital for months instead of a day or so."

Hermione nodded, "So what do we do with the broom then?"

"Have someone test it for problems I guess. As much as I like it I'm not going to trust that someone hasn't meddled with the charms."

With that the two girls took the broom to Mrs. McGonagall who promised that she would look over it along with some of the other professors in their spare time.

-Chapter 10-

Harriett was awake in the Gryffindor common area late in the night reading through one of the books from the library on Wizarding laws eyes drooping lightly even as she saw Crookshanks stalking across the room. "Hey there kitty what are you doing up so late?"

Even as she made noises at the cat to gets its attention she realized that it was actually coming from the wrong place. Its ears flicked and it made a pounce across the room just missing Ron's rat, which scampered away very quickly out of the common area and towards the door.

Crookshanks was in hot pursuit even as Harriett flicked her wand and levitated the cat to her grasping it in hand as it mrowed menacingly. "Now now sweetums your mommy's upstairs, but I can't have you chasing Ron's nasty old rat okay? How about a kitty treat instead?"

She fished in her pocket for a treat and the cat ate it with a snort and then maneuvered himself onto his belly as if demanding that she rub him in recompense for ruining his fun. She laughed lightly and rubbed the cat saying, "Little monster you are, but I'm going to have to bring you back to your mommy and then go find that silly rat you chased off."

He mrowed in discontent at her statement and she chuckled saying, "Sound like a right sneazle like Luna says you are now don't you boy. But, don't you worry Ron's rat can't possibly be an animagus or anything."

The cat was having nothing to do with being put into the girl's dorm even so and Harriett got a few scratches for her troubles even as she finally shut the door leaving the cat behind saying, "Damn it baby I'm just looking out for you and Hermione. Wouldn't want to get in trouble if you ate Scabbers you know."

She sighed and sucked on her injured thumb as she departed the Gryffindor rooms under her invisibility cloak. Once in the halls she pulled out her map and began to read it muttering lightly, "Students, teachers, Filch. Come on now map surely you can have animals on you…"

There were no animals listed, however there was one name that stood out in glaring detail as she gasped lightly on reading it, "Peter Pettigrew! What the hell?"


	6. Book III Chapters 12 - Epilogue

-Chapter 11-

The patronus some days ago had been painful for him and then there had been those strange warm sensations when she had been next to the Lovegood girl. His charge was growing up every day becoming more a woman and he didn't feel any need to dwell on that.

He kept himself in the background as always watching from a distance and wishing he could reach out and strike down her enemies. He had been half asleep himself late that night when the cat came, but then there was the revelation on the map.

The name clicked in his mind…a sniveling coward of a man who had served that other part of himself. The weak willed fool who had told everything about her parents and thus ensured their deaths. That man was on the grounds of Hogwarts most likely searching for Harriett. Trying to finish that old job, but he wouldn't let that happen. No….Pettigrew had to die along with all those who dared step in the way of his charge…his..daughter…

He surged forward and through a haze of tiredness she slumped into sleep while he crept along the hallways under the invisibility cloak. Carefully ever so carefully he crept along the passageways until he found the room where the map said Pettigrew should be.

But, the man was not there. He looked at the map again wondering if it was somehow faulty or defective…no that couldn't be right he was missing something, but what was it? If only he could remember, but he couldn't. He gritted her teeth with rage and slowly stalked back to her dorm midway back sliding deep into the recesses of her mind.

Sleepily she said, "Not very nice Shadow…didn't find him though did we. Still it means everything we know about Sirius Black might just be a lie."

Even as she got back to the Gryffindor dorms she realized one last thing, "Crap we never did find that rat…"

She sighed and said, "Oh well have to explain things to Ron tomorrow and apologize."

The next day she did exactly that explaining that she was dreadfully sorry and that she would help Ron find his rat. The Weasley boy was very unhappy with her and shouted, "No thank you. I don't need your cat or you near my rat again!"

"Fine, fine Ron. Again, I'm sorry…"

"Hey it's my Cat!"

The red haired boy shouted, "Well I don't want you or your friend or your cat near my rat! You hear me he's very old and doesn't need to be chased about the whole castle."

"Fine Ron! Whatever you want." The bushy haired girl replied and then stalked off with Harriett in tow.

Even as they departed Neville said, "Huh I guess cats don't like toads much. He never even came near Trevor or any of the other toads."

Ron stared at him still fuming, "Oh be quiet Neville!"

Everyone then went their ways meeting up again in Potions where Ron pointedly ignored Hermione even though she was his partner and Harriett spent yet another period correcting for Neville's mistakes.

It was later that evening when Harriett spoke to Hermione about her discovery. Opening the map she showed the other girl what it contained when the both of them gasped. Outside the Gryffindor dorm and coming closer was Sirius Black and he was soon going to be behind Parvati. Harriett grabbed her wand and quickly rushed down the stairs as the door opened she rushed out and pointed her wand down the hallway.

Parvati stared at her and Hermione who was also at the door by then and said, "Whoa! Okay so I'm a bit late…I was uhm studying…"

As the other girl spoke a dark form skittered away at high speed and the two girls ignored their flustered housemate and stared down the hallway. "Right, well why don't you two do whatever it is you're doing and I'll just go in."

"Good idea." Harriett said as she stalked slowly down the hallway with Hermione on her heels. Parvati slid inside and the green eyed girl looked at the map. "He's not far at all come on we can catch up."

She rushed along with Hermione behind her dashing through the castle and using the map to get ahead of their quarry while avoiding discovery. Until, finally, they found themselves at a dead end where a large black dog was under a bench. She stared at the creature approaching it slowly as she looked at the map, "Sirius Black I presume? Why don't you come out of there and we talk?"

The dog whined and titled its head in doggy way that said, 'Hey I'm just a dumb dog and I don't understand you.' Harriett frowned and said, "Don't make me hurt you. Come out we'll find a spot and talk. I've seen quite a bit of evidence that suggests you just might be innocent."

The dog slunk forward and Hermione pointed at the map, "There that looks like the Transfiguration classroom and no one's using it now."

"Okay, let's go." She pointed her wand at the dog and gestured. The creature began walking with her behind it and Hermione behind them.

Once in the room with the door closed the creature transformed to a malnourished pale skinned man with ratty clothes and unwashed black hair and an unshaven beard. He looked at Harriett with brown caring eyes and said, "Gods you look just like her. Brown hair and those green eyes so piercing and deep…oh James…Lilly look at your daughter. I'm so sorry…"

She stared at him compassion flooding through her as she realized that this man this broken man couldn't be guilty. "What happened?"

He sighed sadly and spoke, "It was supposed to me. James and Lilly thought it would be me and then we realized that everyone would think the same thing. James best friend for so long and the Potter's staunchest ally, everyone would think it was me so we thought we'd trick them. James and Lilly made Peter the secret keeper."

Tear streaked down the man's eyes as he cried, "What could I do…I came back and it was destroyed…rubble….I had to find Peter…the man who betrayed us all. It was his fault all his fault and I found him. I fought him on the street, but he blew everything up…"

The man muttered and grumbled his eyes alight with anger and grief, "They took me away and locked me up. I deserved it…I failed my friends…failed everyone who was important, but then I saw the news."

His eyes met Harriett's, "The Girl-Who-Lived, but by then it was too late. I was in that hell hole no escape, no pardon, the screeching of the Dementors in your mind. Good memories fade away in there…Lilly…I'm so sorry Lilly."

He held her hand looking into her eyes, "I saw the paper with the Rat…Wormtail…I knew he'd be here to try and kill your daughter. So I figured out a way to escape and took it. Came here to protect her Lilly…"

Harriett touched the man who was at her knees begging for pardon and forgiveness from a dead woman, a woman who had looked very much like she did, and did the only thing she could do. "It's okay. I forgive you."

The emotional strain was so much that he transformed to his doggy self in defense and then his eyes rolled into his head and he fell to the floor. Hermione looked at her friend who had been dragged through this emotional roller coaster and said, "Harriett…Harry what do we do now?"

The green eyed girl looked at her friend and said, "Find out just what the school policy is on having a pet dog."

-Chapter 12-

"I forgive you." His dreams were so pleasant and free. Lilly kept saying it over and over in his mind she forgave him. Forgave him for failing it felt so wonderful….and then he opened his eyes. A green eyed girl was staring at him, but she wasn't Lilly.

"Took you long enough, do you even know how hard it is to levitate you? Plus, I'm still trying to get permission for you as my familiar. There's some call for it since Reginald Carolinus had a dog seventy years ago, but still this is not something I was expecting."

He gave her a doggy shrug and she sighed saying, "You don't know or does that mean something else? Plus you can't transform in the girls dorm the wards would kick you straight out. So communication will just have to wait I suppose. In the mean time you can stay here in this room and be a good doggy make sure you play nice with Crookshanks too."

She tossed her head and stalked out of the room followed by a bushy haired girl. Moments after they left a cat came sauntering up to his nose and sniffed it, then sneezed. He stared at the creature and it stared back, then tilted its head and meowed once. He shrugged at it and it walked over to his side, climbed up and promptly fell asleep on his back.

He realized that it hadn't been Lilly the other night, no it had been Harriet herself who forgave him and who was now hiding him in her room trying to pass him off as her pet dog. The situation was good and bad he felt. Good in that he could now ensure that Pettigrew couldn't hurt her in her rooms, but bad in that he was not currently able to keep her safe outside of her rooms. Still the entire situation was now better than it had been, so he tucked his nose under a paw and went back to sleep.

-Chapter 13-

"…..and that's why I should be allowed to have a dog." Harriett finished speaking to Professor McGonagall who was perhaps a bit bleary eyed due to the early hour.

The Deputy Headmistress hadn't really heard most of the numerous arguments and blandishments from her young charge, but the request was generally simple. She nodded her head and said, "Very well Miss Potter. The animal is your responsibility and we expect you to care for it just as the other students care for their animals."

Harriett departed with a smile on her lips and went immediately to her next class where she found Hermione and told her that the mission was accomplished. The brown haired girl nodded and handed a piece of paper to Harriet who said, "Pettigrew not found yet."

Harriett nodded and proceeded to get lost in class work. Between classes Hermione traded the map back to the green eyed friend who checked it, but was unable to find Pettigrew anywhere on it at all. The search continued between classes throughout the day and until Lunch when both girls took their new dog for a walk.

They found a good brush covered area and stopped. Harriett looked at the large black dog and said, "Okay I think I deserve some answers."

The dog transformed into a gaunt man with ripped clothing, stringy hair, and a scraggly dark beard. "I'm your godfather Harriett. Sirius Black is my name and I never betrayed your parents. I wasn't the secret keeper for the _fidelius_, Peter was. When I found the destruction I went after him…I was angry and not thinking. There was an explosion and I was blamed for everything. I was sent to Azkaban without even a trial."

Hermione gasped and said, "But, that's against the law!"

Sirius shrugged and said, "I guess no one much cared."

Harriett frowned thinking a bit. "Well, we can't just bring you to the Ministry because they'll have you taken back and I don't have the slightest clue how to smuggle you out of country. Our best bet is to continue as we are now and hope that we can catch Peter. We could take him to the ministry and that would, hopefully, initiate some sort of new trial for you." Sirius nodded and transformed back into a big black dog. The three then continued into the great hall and ate lunch.

It was perhaps not a surprise when they met Luna eating her lunch. After getting their own and sitting with the younger girl they were met with a look to Harriet and, "I see that the professor was accurate. You are indeed being followed by a grim."

Harriett nodded, "I suppose I am he's my new familiar I guess. Which professor was telling everyone?"

"Professor Trelawney, she's usually not very good with her prophesizing and I think most of the other students take her class because it is an easy grade. Personally, I think they are just missing out on the subtle possibilities."

Hermione stared and was about to say something when Luna interjected, "Yes I know you think it's fake."

"You just knew I would say that based on previous experience."

Luna gave a small smile, "Yes, but isn't that what prophecy is? Telling the future based on the present. If we know enough about all of the actors then we can provide an image of what may come to pass. The teas, cards, palms and everything else are just devices to focus on while our minds make the connections."

Hermione blinked as it made sense in some way while Harriett added, "If we add magic in to the mix with that it does make sense that predictions and prophecies could come true or be right."

Luna nodded and smiled happily.

Changing the subject Harriett looked about and said, "Do either of you know what potion Snape has been giving Professor Lupin? I don't trust him to do it right."

The other two girls shook their heads, but were more than willing to participate in some brainstorming.

-Chapter 14-

Snape poured the polyjuice down her throat and she changed her body becoming that of her daughters and then he pounced. Pain was all she felt for a long time afterwards suffused by direct orders which made her suddenly cry out in passion only to fall back into pain.

She was half conscious when she heard him muttering and examining books and histories. She heard him speaking half to her and half to himself as he pieced together Tom Riddle's history or as much as he could. Speaking of artifacts foul beyond compare made from what had previously been wondrous. A cup, a locket, a ring and more. "What a fool he was, immortality not really. A living hell for his spirit and powerful devices for me to capture his magic. True immortality is found in other ways and other paths. Wouldn't you agree my love?"

She did agree, but even that positive reply wasn't truly her own. "Well I have an idea about this. The Gaunt house and a certain cave he was not as secretive as he should have been. The cave first I believe and you will be accompanying me yes?"

She nodded even as he forced a different polyjuice down her throat turning her into someone else yet again. He took her hand and apparated them. She stared at the beach and the cave one that would assuredly be covered when high tide came in.

"There…I can feel the wards already." He spoke even as he worked slowly pulling apart ward schemes and walking into the cave. Inside was a moat surrounding a small island with some sort of cup on it. In the moat was a single skiff. The two took the skiff out to the cup which seemed more like a large basin now that they were next to it. Then came the pain, more pain, more despair, aching horrible things that violated her throat and her stomach as she drank.

She woke again in her room and naked feeling his body on hers and his hot rancid breath on her neck. She knew what would happen next and it did the order came and suddenly she felt it a small capability. She couldn't say "no" or resist, but she could fake it her body didn't have to react and she suddenly felt just a bit less shame…along with that was some small elation as she heard him complaining about not finding the object he had been looking for.

Snape himself hardly noticed and made ready for his classes even if he was upset about the locket he was still on track for finding an item at the Guant house which he suspected was a ring. He stalked away and to the floo where he travelled to his quarters in the dungeon. From there he went on to teaching his classes.

When his quarry's class began he saw the creature. A black grim at the door that sat there and looked in at him with a small growl before the door closed. He couldn't quite recall where he had seen the creature before. Still, he knew somehow that it would put an extra damper on his attempts to take the Potter girl for his own.

-Chapter 15-

She sat in the library staring at books of wizarding law until finally it came to her. She looked up from her book at Luna and Hermione who were sprawled sleeping among scattered books and even her…well dog was sleeping with Hermione's cat on top of him.

Still the solution was elegant. If she freed the hippogriff no one could put it to death and as long as she wasn't caught there would be no legal repercussions. With that in mind she roused her friends and got everyone to their dorms waiting for Hermione and Sirius to fall asleep again she soon departed with her cloak on.

Unlike the challenges for the stone or even the Chamber of Secrets the way was simple. No guards were even in her way just a single chain and Buckbeak. She cut the chain with a simple cutting curse, opened the door and let him fly free. After that she departed invisibly knowing that she had done the right thing despite the laws.

As she walked back to her dorm room she saw Lupin hastily walking towards the Whomping Willow chasing after what looked to be Ron's rat. She caught up to him just as the rat dove under some roots and he cursed saying, "Peter...I know it's you. I can smell you!"

The Willow swung it's limbs wildly and he pressed a knot stilling the giant plant, then going under the roots as well on all fours. "I smell you Peter…and Sirius was here too. He's not the betrayer is he!? You…"

She followed after wanting to know more perhaps desperately needing to know more. Ahead of her Lupin was crashing about and yelling incoherently. He was wild and fierce almost insane with anger yelling things and then he caught the rat. "Youuu!"

His yell turned into a throaty howl and he transformed into a werewolf right there. The transformation gave the rat time to escape his grip, but Harriett was fast as well diving to catch him heedless of losing her invisibility cloak. Rat in hand she turned and the monster was before her red eyes wild with berserk malice. It let loose a raw primal howl in her face and she saw its claws rise and knew there was only one solution. She let go and gave herself to her shadow.

He woke from reverie of what his daughter could become, woke from his depths to see the red eyes of a monster, but it was nothing compared to him. He stared at it raising his wand and shielding the body. The creature attacked with powerful fury, but was no match for this dark shield. He pointed the wand at it not even vocalizing the body bind spell subtly altering it to wrap the creature up in silver ropes.

When that was done he transfigured a rock into a cage then shoved the rat inside. Business accomplished he walked away rat in hand as the werewolf screamed in pain from the burning silver ropes. He didn't care the creature was lucky not to be dead.

-Chapter 16-

She woke the next morning in her bed the rat in a transfigured cage and a quest at hand. She got herself ready and grabbed her prize smug in her satisfaction of a job well done right up until she ran into Hermione.

The bushy haired girl stood in front of her tapping her foot and staring at the cage, "Harriet just what have you been up to?"

She was tempted to dissemble, but this was Hermione her best friend and so she told the complete unadorned truth. This immediately led to scolding about going off on her own and then worries about Professor Lupin's fate.

All in all the entire affair meant she was taking Hermione to the Deputy Headmistress along with a certain rat. The elderly witch examined the rat and said, "Well if this is an Animagus then there is a spell that will force them into their natural form, just let me stun it first. It would not do to let it fly off like the Hippogriff did last night. You wouldn't know anything about that would you Miss Potter?" 

Harriett shrugged and the elderly witch stunned the rat in its cage, then opened said cage, let the rat out and cast her spell. This revealed the creature as Peter Pettigrew at which point Mrs. McGonagall immediately stunned it again and user her floo to call the Aurors.

When the Aurors arrived they took Pettigrew into custody and departed with Harriet watching them go and saying, "You know it could be that he released that hippogriff."

Soon after that she found herself in the headmasters office where she was questioned about what she had found and how. Thus she explained to him and Mrs. McGonagall, "Well Luna mentioned that my…er..Hermione's cat might be part Sneazle and that as such he could detect animagus transformations and hostile intent. The cat went after the rat a number of times leaving other prey such as Toads and other familiars quite alone. Thus I endeavored to catch the rat and bring it to the Deputy Headmistress whereupon she cast her spell and confirmed my suspicions."

"What about the hippogriff Harriet?"

She shrugged looked at the headmaster and said, "Perhaps Mister Pettigrew freed it."

The older man's eyes twinkled and she focused on her inner light peacefulness, warmth and joy. There were few further questions and she was allowed to return to her classes for the day.

-Chapter 17-

Sometime later Harriett was relating her tale to Neville and Luna leaving out some bits about her shadow and Professor Lupin with a frowning dog at her side. That was when the professor himself came into the lunch room and walked towards the group.

"Miss Potter if I may have a few words with you? Oh and if you will could you bring your familiar?"

Harriett nodded and said her goodbyes to her friends whom she could hear plotting with Hermione to ensure that Harriett never went off on some fool stunt on her own again.

In Lupin's office the man sat down and offered her a seat as well. "I owe you an apology both of you."

The black dog looked up at him and he continued. "I…was wrong about you Sirius for so many years I carried anger and more towards you for what I thought you had done. I was wrong in that anger and I'm sorry I allowed my anger and rage at what I perceived to be your betrayal to prevent me from looking further into the details of your imprisonment"

The black dog nodded and gave a soft woof nosing Lupin's hand. The man then looked at Harriet and said, "You I owe an apology for attacking you and for not believing your distrust of Snape. I can't prove it, but I think the wolfs bane he gave me was of poor or even non-existent quality."

She nodded and said, "What now?"

He pondered and said, "I believe I will learn to brew it myself, but in the meantime I will have to depart the school. I don't want anyone else hurt by me…"

He paused then looked at her directly straight into her green eyes. The same eyes as her mother, "Thank you for stopping me Harriett. Your silver roped body bind may have seemed cruel, but it didn't kill me and it was exactly what was needed to stop the beast within."

She smiled at him brightly happy that her shadow hadn't killed him. "I will miss you professor Lupin and I hope you will keep in touch with me. I would love to learn more about my parents and yourself."

He smiled back at her and said, "I would be happy to do that Harriett. Very happy indeed."

-Epilogue-

The rest of the year went rather uneventfully. Harriett, Hermione, Luna and Neville growing closer as friends and Snape failing to gather courage to attempt more plots on school grounds. The ministry removed the dementors and Snuffles the dog became well known around the school.

The school year ended and everyone went home. Snape on the other hand visited a certain house of Gaunt. There he found yet another of the items he sought and drained its power for his own.

To Be Continued….

Author's Notes: The end is less than what I would have hoped for, but my mind is running already into the next book and plotting for the inevitableness that is the Goblet of fire. How will Harriett take that challenge on and what about Snape will he attempt to further his vile plans?

What about Sirius he's stuck being a dog at the school. Will he stay that way or will he perhaps decide to flee and live as a man?

There is much more to come and despite the end here being slow. I think the next chapters of this journey are filled with a grand adventure…

Thanks for reading


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